Guide
The MCST pool compliance calendar: a working checklist
Published 29 September 2026 · 5 min read · Crystal Clear Contractor
Pool compliance for a condominium runs on a small set of repeating clocks: on-site testing through the operating routine, a monthly laboratory cycle with results submitted to NEA, quarterly Legionella testing where features call for it, and annual licence renewal. Put on one calendar, the duties stop being surprises. This checklist lays them out, with who typically does what.
The compliance calendar
Every duty below traces to the Licensable Aquatic Facilities Regulations 2021; the who-does-what split further down is practice, set by each contract.
| Cadence | Duty |
|---|---|
| Through operation | pH held at 7.2 to 7.8 and free residual chlorine at 1.0 to 3.0 mg/L, checked at the pool on every visit |
| Monthly | Water sample analysed by an accredited laboratory for chemical and bacteriological quality, with the report ready for NEA submission by the 14th of the following month |
| Quarterly | Legionella testing for pools with aerosol-generating features such as jets, fountains or spa features |
| Annually | Licence renewal |
| Whenever a reading fails | Correction and re-testing |
Who does what?
| Duty | Usually done by |
|---|---|
| On-site testing and dosing | The maintenance contractor's technicians |
| Monthly laboratory sampling and NEA submission | Arranged and filed by the contractor |
| Quarterly Legionella sampling | The contractor, through an accredited laboratory |
| Holding the licence and renewing it | The MCST, as owner or occupier of the facility |
| Reviewing reports and keeping oversight | The council and its managing agent |
The division matters because the licence cannot be outsourced. The contractor carries the routine; the council carries the responsibility, which is why the reports coming back are worth five minutes at each council meeting.
Common questions
How much of this can the contractor take over?
Everything operational: the testing, the dosing, the laboratory cycle and the submissions. What stays with the council is holding the licence and keeping oversight of the reports.
When should the council review the maintenance contract?
Contracts typically run 12 to 24 months, and starting the evaluation two to three months before renewal keeps the timeline comfortable.
Our maintenance service runs this entire calendar as standard. See swimming pool maintenance, or the fuller MCST guide to NEA pool compliance.
Sources
This guide was published on 29 September 2026 and reflects our understanding of NEA requirements at that time. Regulations and local requirements change. Always check the current position with NEA or another official source before acting on anything here.
