Strict Attire Rules in Place at D.C. Public Pools

Everyone at city pools must wear swimwear at all times, even while not in the water

The dress code at D.C.'s public pools might have a few people scratching their heads because of what's banned from pool decks -- including most cover-ups.

D.C.'s pool attire rules, re-released Wednesday by the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), require everyone at city pools to wear swimwear at all times, even while not in the water.

People in the pool -- or on the pool deck -- cannot wear cut-offs, jeans, skirts, shorts, sport bras, leotards, leggings, dri-fit wear, thongs, compression shorts, boxers, and underwear.

Swimmers will have to leave banned attire in the locker rooms.

"I can see where the thong stuff would kind of be [banned]," one D.C. resident told News4's Mark Segraves, "but the other stuff, like aqua socks, that could protect your feet if there was something in the pool, so that's kind of ridiculous."

White T-shirts and sarongs are allowed, although colored T-shirts and sundress-style cover-ups are not.

Also on the approved list: one-and two piece bathing suits for women, swim trunks and swim briefs for men, and religious swimwear.

"Even if you're not going in the water, if you're on the pool deck, you need to be in pool attire," said John Stokes of the Department of Parks and Recreation. "...Our thing is, if it's made for a pool [you can wear it], and there's lots of pool attire. If it's made for a pool, it's allowed."

Stokes said the rules are designed to make sure those at the pools are there to swim.

"We realize that a lot of this is because we don't charge for folks to swim, so people think, 'Oh, if they don't charge, we're just going to hang out around the pool'," he said. "There were probably a lot of different residents who want to wear different types of attire in the pool or on the pool deck."

Stokes said white T-shirts are permitted on the pool deck to prevent sunburn, but wasn't immediately able to confirm if other colors of T-shirts were allowed.

"There are people who do burn, and we want to consider that," Stokes said.

DPR officials say they're working to clarify the rules after several incidents across the city where pool staff argued with residents about what was and wasn't allowed. In at least one case, police had to be called to settle a dispute.

The rules aren't new, but were re-released as a reminder.

Wednesday's release cites several reasons "why it is important to only wear pool attire in the pool," although the DPR's ban on streetwear is extended to the pool deck as well. According to the release:

1. Street clothes (especially cotton) can transport airborne and ultimately water borne contaminants into the pool.

2. Lycra and Nylon are the best non-absorbent material for swimming and are the best fabrics for proper swim attire.

          -- Other absorbent materials (such as cotton) can break down in the water and cause fibers to clog filters.


          -- Any "colored" material (unless specifically made for swimming) can bleed into the pool, effecting water chemistry and balance. This is also a reason for turbidity in pools.

3. Cotton and similar materials can absorb the chemicals in the water, causing the water to become less effective at maintaining the proper chemical balance or may cloud the water.

"If you're wearing street clothes, that could allow contaminants into the water," Stokes said. He said the DPR believes that's true even if the clothes are only on pool decks.

DPR spoke with the D.C. Department of Health before setting its pool attire rules, he said. 

The charts have been delivered to every pool.

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