Public Swimming pools or campgrounds are required to have a license from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. To pay your annual inspection fee for a public swimming pool or campground, or to apply for a temporary campground permit.

Public Swimming Pool Inspections

Swimming pools and spas can be the source of diseases and injuries, like Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and E.coli, as well as slips, falls, and accidental entrapment. Cryptosporidium is the most common cause of recreational water illness (RWI). RWIs are caused by germs spread by swallowing, breathing in mists of, or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, hot tubs, water play areas, and interactive fountains (also lakes, or rivers). In addition to gastrointestinal illness, RWIs can cause skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic and wound infections. For health and safety reasons, the proper construction, maintenance, and operation of public swimming pools and spas is of significant public health importance.

Contingency and Emergency Response Plans
There are over 110 public pools and spas (seasonal and year-round) in the City of Detroit, including those located in apartment complexes, hotels, motels, parks, schools, health clubs, and other recreational establishments. All these pools are inspected annually by Detroit Health Department to identify violations of Michigan's Public Swimming Pool Rules, review water sample data and monthly operation reports, and provide written notification of necessary corrections.  
For more information on safety while using a swimming pool or hot tub click here. 
 

• Pool Operational Report Form
• Public Swimming Pool Rules
• Contingency and Emergency Plan Guidelines
• Daily Pool Operator Checklist
• Swimming Pool Annual Opening Inspection Checklist 

Annual Indoor Pool Inspection Fee

PLEASE NOTE: This fee is separate from your State of Michigan License Renewal Fee.

The Environmental Safety Division now accepts credit card / ACH payments through our new online payment system. Please make all inspection payments online using the link below:
https://cod.divdatkiosknetwork.com/EnvironmentalHealth; or

• MAIL - Send copy of invoice with checks payable to City of Detroit to the address below.
• IN-PERSON - Environmental Health office is located at:

          Detroit Health Department
          100 Mack Ave. Room 311
           Detroit, MI 48201

• Contact 313-876-4715 or [email protected]  with any questions.

Swimming Pool Fees:
$295 for the first indoor pool and additional pools are $150 each
 

Campgrounds

The Detroit Health Department inspects permanent public campgrounds annually for compliance with Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE) Campgrounds Law (Part 125 of 1978, PA 368, as amended). 
Temporary campground permits are required when anyone is having a temporary camping event, where five or more temporary living units (tents, campers, RVs, etc.) are in one area overnight.  To obtain a temporary campground license in Detroit, please contact the Detroit Health Department:

Detroit Health Department
Environmental Safety
100 Mack Ave. Room 311
Detroit, MI 48201
313-876-4715

Campground – Temporary Fees

Number of Sites      State fee       Detroit fee*      Total fee

1-50 sites                    $119           $162               $281.00

51-100 sites                $201          $204                $405.00

101+ sites                   $361          $158                $519.00

Temporary Campground Licensing

*The City of Detroit inspection fee is paid to our office separately from the State of Michigan fee.

Step 1: Contact the Detroit Health Department
Before applying for a State of Michigan temporary campground license, please notify the Detroit Health Department that you are proposing to operate a temporary campground within the City of Detroit. Call (313) 87-4715 or email [email protected].

Step 2: Apply Through the State of Michigan
After contacting our office, apply for a temporary campground license and pay the required State of Michigan fee online through the Temporary Campgrounds application in MiEHDWIS.

Application Review and Approval
The Detroit Health Department will review the temporary campground license application and all supporting materials. Our staff will work with applicants to address any questions or concerns during the review process.

In many cases, facilities and services like restrooms, waste management, water supply, etc., may not be installed onsite until shortly before the event. However, applicants must provide the Detroit Health Department with documentation, like service contracts or agreements, demonstrating that all required facilities and services will be provided at the temporary campground.

The Detroit Health Department will issue the temporary campground license only after:

• All required documentation has been submitted and approved, and
• A site inspection has been completed

Once the temporary campground license has been issued, the applicant may download the license from MiEHDWIS and must post it in a conspicuous location at the campground site.

For more information on permanent and temporary campgrounds in Michigan, please click the EGLE site. 

Public Bathing Beaches Monitoring 

During the summer months, bacteriological water samples are collected at natural bathing beaches to monitor for bacteria levels at least weekly. To protect swimmers, the beach must close when high levels of coliform bacteria are found.  These results are posted on the Michigan Beachguard Site.