(1) The department shall assign to county health departments that are staffed with qualified engineering personnel the functions of reviewing applications and plans for the construction, development, or modification of public swimming pools or bathing places; of conducting inspections for and issuance of initial operating permits; and of issuing all permits. If the county health department is not assigned the functions of application and plan review and the issuance of initial operating permits, the department shall be responsible for such functions. The department shall make the determination concerning the qualifications of county health department personnel to perform these functions and may make and enforce such rules pertaining thereto as it shall deem proper.
(2) After the initial operating permit is issued, the county health departments shall assume full responsibility for routine surveillance of all public swimming pools and bathing places, including responsibility for a minimum of two routine inspections annually, complaint investigations, enforcement procedures, reissuance of operating permits, and renewal of operating permits.
(3) The department may assign the responsibilities and functions specified in this section to any multicounty independent special district created by the Legislature to perform multiple functions, to include municipal services and improvements, to the same extent and under the same conditions as provided in subsections (1) and (2), upon request of the special district.
