Water games – which standards need to be followed and how can costs be saved
Dr. -Ing. Katrin Korth (Korth StadtRaumStrategien)
Children’s playgrounds with water elements
Whether you are planning entire water playgrounds or individual water elements on playgrounds – the planning principles with regard to safety-relevant factors are the same. All water play elements have three basic components. These are source outlets, pumps or fountains where the water is emitted, outlet and play channels or play surfaces and drains. Water playgrounds can be equipped with sand mud areas or with play areas in paved sections, for example with concrete, asphalt, natural stone or plastic coverings. Even if the actual choice of a certain type is always a question of design or play education, it also has an effect on the safety of use and the upkeep of the systems. There are also water play elements on playgrounds where the outlet is combined with shore area of streams. It is precisely this combination that allows design that is similar to nature and offers children many stimuli and opportunities for assimilation. It is important to put intensive thought into planning the basic components, also with regard to safety of use: can they fulfil their educational purpose? Could a certain arrangement create hazards? Are they easy to clean?
Current standards
In contrast to fountains and waterworks in public urban spaces water elements on children’s playgrounds are governed by standards. Standardised planning covers the aspects: protection from falling, protection from drowning, ensuring sufficient water quality and executing any electrical system parts. In the same way as for playgrounds and play equipment, the objective is not to protect against any risk but rather protect from life-threatening accidents. Particular attention must be given to smaller children as they are not yet sufficiently able to assess these risks, e.g. regarding water depth.
The planning of water play elements is based on DIN 18034 – Requirements for the planning, construction and operation of playgrounds and open play areas – and DIN EN 1176 – Safety requirements on children’s playground equipment. There are also further requirements and directives such as the EU directive on the quality of bathing waters, recommendations of the federal environmental agency, guidelines from the federal states and regional accident insurance as well as requirements in hygiene plans and DIN 19643 – Treatment of swimming and bathing pool water. The last requirements refer primarily to water quality. DIN VDU 100 – 702 is valid for electrical system components – Installation of low voltage cables in damp or wet environments or outdoors, in the vicinity of swimming pools, water fountains or water basins. We will not go into the latter any further here as it is primarily relevant to pump-operated circulating systems that are rarely used on children’s playgrounds.
Protection from drowning
Protection from drowning is the most important planning challenge. DIN 18034 states a maximum depth of 40 cm for the water basins but limits this to children aged 6 and over. Execution decrees in day-care centre laws and also the recommendations of municipal insurance policies recommend a maximum (constructive) water depth of 20 cm for smaller children. The following considerations are necessary for planning: are these systems without structural barriers that will also be used by smaller children or are they systems where the risk of falling in is limited by barrier structures and/or where unintended use by smaller children can be ruled out for the most part because of the urban location.
In contrast to urban public spaces or natural or almost natural lakes with swimming areas, adults and children on playgrounds can assume that it is a protected area for children. In general, it has therefore become the norm on playgrounds, especially when a large proportion of small children is expected, to limit the usable water depth to a maximum of 20 cm. However, this does not completely rule out greater water depths of up to 40 cm. For example, if there are differentiated shore or entry areas with berms, a flat slope angle or barriers between the different water depths so that a greater water depth for small children is not surprising and unforeseeable, then a water depth of 40 cm is possible. This is particularly significant as older children would have to accept substantial limitations to their creative options in very shallow water.
There are no standards for the integration of almost natural streams or bodies of water in water play areas. This would be difficult because slopes and bodies of water will always differ and because water levels and beds can change significantly in very short periods of time when water flows through them. However, this should not be a reason to forgo the excellent play and experiences on offer to children on the shores of streams. The decisive factor is that planners apply the general planning principles in a sensible manner. Slope edges should be constructed in such a way that small children cannot fall in suddenly, e.g. using sitting stones on the border. Slopes should have a gradient of 1 : 3 at the most and should have generously proportioned areas bordering the shore. The water level in the streams should not normally exceed 20 to 40 cm and water access points should have berms or stepping stones. Finally, it is also always important for the integration of rivers and streams how well rooted bodies of water are in the urban landscape. In many cities bodies of water are part of daily life. Finally, parental obligation to supervise applies (not only) outside of playgrounds. However, areas that are designed exclusively for small children should have barriers between them and the shore area.
Protection from falling
Fall heights must be taken into account on water play elements, as with all play equipment. This relates to objects such as water and mud tables as well as objects that are integrated into step systems. Fall heights must also be taken into account on water elements that can be climbed such as water wheels. In some places there is interplay between water depth and fall height, for example on the edges of water basins. A maximum depth of 60 cm is stated in DIN 1076 – Safety requirements for children’s playground equipment. Some state building regulations give a maximum fall height of 1 m. Planners cannot refer to this if they explicitly (also) plan for children or if assimilation by children is an expressed planning objective. This applies mainly to freely accessible children’s play areas outside classical playgrounds.
Water quality
Ensuring sufficient water quality seems simple but is actually one of the most challenging aspects in the planning of water elements. Firstly, the standards are not clear and secondly there are now numerous requirements, particularly in the area of state hygiene plans for childcare facilities, which can hardly be realised on public children’s playgrounds without necessitating enormous upkeep but are still included in the assessment by some state health departments.
According to DIN 18034 water intended for play in puddles or basins should have bathing quality. However, there are three standards for the assessment of bathing quality. The bathing water quality is first regulated in the EU bathing water directive. It is valid for water that is not artificially separated from the aquifer. The important parameters for the assessment from a hygiene point of view are the faecal indicators. Then there are special recommendations from the federal environmental agency from 2003 on artificially constructed swimming and bathing pools. The relevant parameters here are also the faecal indicators. Add to this the pathogen pseudomonas aeruginosa. Requirements are in place for the pond water based on the EU bathing water directive, but somewhat stricter. DIN 19643 – Treatment of swimming and bathing pool water and the recommendations of the federal environmental agency from 2014 are valid for artificial swimming and bathing pools and thus for all public swimming pools. The limits for faecal indicators in pool water here are based on drinking water quality.
According to these standards water pools on children’s playgrounds are artificial swimming and bathing pools. This would make it necessary to ensure water quality based on drinking water quality. In order to ensure the associated requirements continuous water treatment and disinfection would be necessary or permanent replenishment with fresh water.
What is the consequence for planners and maintenance providers? Water outlets in the form of taps or handle pumps and refilling equipment (supply and return for water games and fountains with circulation) should have microbiological drinking water quality. The use of rainwater, spring water and groundwater is possible in principle if there is no germ load. Handle pumps and taps should be rinsed through once a day, which is carried out anyway at most water playgrounds because of the high frequency of use. The bathing water directive must be applied for basins and paddling pools. There are no limitations and requirements for puddles, running channels and standing water on surfaces as long as the water quality at the outlets is in line with the measures described above if it is possible to ensure that the water can run off and the surfaces can dry out at intervals. The requirements for fountains and nozzles that run by circulation and are cleaned previously by treatment are not currently clear. Some health departments demand drinking water quality here, which is practically impossible. It is, however, undisputed that the germ load needs to be limited. The concrete requirements need to be assessed professionally in each individual case.
Water elements and costs
Water playgrounds and water elements create costs. But it would be wrong to forgo water for reasons of cost. It has been shown over and over again that even a simple pump with a simple downstream channel is more attractive that some other complex play apparatus. Maintenance serves to ensure the longevity of systems and guarantee safety. If you choose a water playground then this will always entail obligations with regard to safety and maintenance. At the same time there are ways to optimise both operation and costs.
The maintenance costs are determined by intensity of use and by dirt entering the system from waste or petals and leaves from trees. The choice of material also has an effect. Some of the sealed and permanently wet surfaces tend to get dirty or have algae and develop slippery coatings. These represent impediments to safety, not only on slopes, and must be permanently removed during maintenance. Mud areas with sand or gravel, on the other hand, tend to silt up if they cannot dry out at intervals. Besides the exact selection of grain size mixtures with a low proportion of fine grains if possible, it is decisive here that the sand areas are separated (also structurally) as clearly as possible from areas with topsoil. Sand areas should not be damp all the time and require periods in which they can dry. They need to be changed regularly and more frequently than normal sand areas, depending on soiling. In general, it should be ensured that the surfaces are not too rough. Plastic surfaces in particular tend to develop a film that is a slipping hazard. Metal is recommended for moving parts like water wheels or mud tables even though metal often has a less attractive appearance. If wood is to be used then the shorter durability must be taken into account. Sufficient gradient and devices for complete emptying must be included for mud tables and channels in wood so that the wooden components can dry.
It is essential for safe operation to avoid dirt entering the system. The infiltration of waste or of petals and leaves can cause microbiological contamination and the formation of algae. Locations under trees usually suffer greater contamination, which is why especially basins and large areas of water should not be positioned directly next to trees. It is equally important that the systems can be easily cleaned. Generously proportioned cleaning openings and sufficient gradient in the surfaces and basins, together with rinsing devices and an easily accessible water connection above ground are essential for simple and therefore also cost-effective maintenance. The number of cleaning cycles cannot be set as a general value as it depends greatly on the geographical circumstances and the frequency of use. In principle, water playgrounds always require more upkeep than playgrounds without water. If fine nozzles or mist is planned, then they should be installed with protection or without access in order to prevent dirt penetration.
Whether maintenance can be carried out simply and cost-effectively is often already decided in the design. At the same time, the maintenance work also always depends on intensity of use. The durability and robustness of the materials is also decisive. The manufacturers offer very different levels of quality and it is worth asking other operators about their experiences before planning.
Länderarbeitskreis zur Erstellung von Hygieneplänen: Rahmenhygieneplan gemäß §36 Infektionsschutzgesetz für Kindereinrichtungen, 2007
Katrin Korth: Wasserspielplätze, Brunnen, Wasserspiele und Verkehrssicherheit. In: Tagungsband der FLL-Verkehrssicherheitstage 2017: Bäume und Spielgeräte/Spielräume im Fokus der Verkehrssicherheit
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