CPO Certification Class

A CPO Certified Pool/Spa Operator is a person who has successfully completed a specific course of instruction sanctioned by the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA). The PHTA was formed in 2019, combining the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) and the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF). With the mission to "Celebrate the Water", PHTA facilitates the expansion of swimming, water safety and related research and outreach activities, aimed at introducing more people to swimming, making swimming environments safer and keeping pools open to serve communities.


What's Covered in the Course Instruction?

  • Pool water contamination, disinfection and balance

  • Methods to calculate pool water volume

  • Methods to calculate proper chemical dosages

  • Pool water circulation and hydraulics

  • Pool filters and sizing

  • Pool water heaters and sizing

  • Safety in and around the swimming pool

  • The ADA revision of 2010

  • The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB)

  • CDC's new Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC)

  • Pool facility management and troubleshooting

  • And MORE!

Who Should Become a CPO?

Anyone who is responsible for managing, supervising, and/or servicing a public or private aquatic facility (such as backyard pools, public pools, homeowner’s association pools, hotel pools, YMCA pools, school pools, and more) should seek Certified Pool/Spa Operator certification.

 

The Los Angeles Department of Public Health requires that “Any person engaged in … cleaning, servicing or maintaining … public and private pools …” must be certified. The CPO Certification course is a prerequisite for this certification. Click here to learn more about the L.A. Department of Public Health’s swimming pool technician program.

Who Teaches the CPO Certification Classes?

CPO.training is provided by industry veteran, Steve Donohoe. Steve teaches several classes each year in Southern California: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties, and now in a new online Live Virtual Classroom. Steve and his wife, Elise, own and operate a swimming pool service business in Mission Viejo. Steve has a passion for teaching and mentoring others. If you are thinking about starting a pool service business or are new to the industry, Steve’s CPO Certification class is for you! However, if you are an industry veteran, don’t shy away! Steve’s presentation will help you sort things out, debunk a few industry myths, and maybe reveal the “whys” of what you have been doing. His best feedback and comments are from pool men, women and operators with 10 to 20 years of experience!

Steve Donohoe

PHTA Authorized Instructor, AST, CPO