Rutherford Pool Rules

For entry to the pool, all Members must be properly registered. Members must identify themselves and any guests by name at the admission gate.

Please update your photos in your member portal. Having current photos on file helps our guards and manager make the check-in process faster and easier.

General Pool Rules

  • All Members, guests, babysitters/caregivers, and visitors must follow these rules, all posted rules around the pool, and staff instructions.
  • Posted rules may include, but are not limited to, rules at the slide, baby pool, diving board, and other facility areas.
  • Failure to follow the rules may result in consequences as determined by pool management and/or the Board.
  • RFD staff are responsible for enforcing pool rules and may clear the pool, close features, restrict access, bench swimmers, or escalate issues when needed for safety. Please respect staff decisions and direct questions or concerns to the Pool Manager or Board.

Access to Pool

  • Members may use the pool when it is open and staffed with lifeguards.
  • Members under 10 years old must be accompanied by an adult, guardian, or approved babysitter/caregiver at all times.
  • Members 12 years old and under must leave the pool grounds at 5:45 p.m. unless accompanied by a responsible adult over 18 years of age.
  • Children under 6 years old must be accompanied by an adult, babysitter/caregiver, or responsible person age 16 or older, and that responsible person must remain near the child at all times.
  • Swimmers who are 16 and over may remain in the pool during break.
  • Baby Pool Use: Only children 6 years old and under are permitted in the baby pool, and an adult must be present at all times.

In the Water and on the Pool Deck

  • No running or horseplay on deck.
  • No throwing people into the pool from the deck.
  • No horseplay in the water, including dunking, wrestling, excessive splashing in the face, riding on shoulders, or pushing people into the water from the deck.
  • No throwing people or carrying another person on shoulders while in the pool.
  • No diving in the shallow end.
  • No back dives from the deck anywhere.
  • Only pool noodles are allowed in the pool. Rafts, boogie boards, snowboards, inflatable flotation devices such as inner tubes, and similar devices are not permitted unless approved by pool management.

Slide, Diving Board, and Deep End

  • Members and guests under 16 must complete and pass the swim test before using the slide, dive well, deep end, or swimming outside of the shallow area.
  • Staff may also require a swim test for any swimmer, regardless of age, if swim ability appears uncertain or unsafe.
  • Deep end boards are either open or closed, as determined by the guard in the chair at the time. Swimmers should confirm with the guard when boards are open or closed.
  • Swimmers who have not passed the swim test must have an adult within arm’s reach and may not use the diving board or slide, even with parent help.
  • For the slide, riders must go feet first.
  • No catching people at the end of the slide.
  • For the diving board, divers must go straight off the board and exit at the deep-end ladder. Divers may not exit from the wall.
  • No catching people jumping from the diving board.
  • Only one person at a time is permitted on the diving board or steps to the diving board.
  • The first diver must be at the exit ladder before another diver begins.
  • All dives must be in the forward direction.
  • All divers must exit the diving area at the ladder.
  • Management and lifeguards control the diving area and may specify or restrict its use.
  • Goggles may not be worn when using the slide or diving board.

Swim Test

A swim test is required for members and guests under 16 years old to swim in the deep end, use the diving board or slide, swim outside of the shallow area, or swim unaccompanied.

Staff may also require a swim test for any swimmer, regardless of age, if swim ability appears uncertain or unsafe.

The swim test includes the ability to:

  • Swim 25 meters continuously; and
  • Tread water continuously for 1 minute with head and face above water at all times.

The swim test will be administered at times determined by the Pool Manager or staff and may only be attempted twice in one day. If a swimmer fails any part of the test, the swimmer is considered to have failed the test and must complete the entire test again at another approved swim test time.

We encourage members to complete the swim test at the beginning of the season.

Food and Drink

  • With the exception of plain water, no food or drink is permitted on deck or near the pool, including at the pool edge.
  • There is no eating or drinking in the pool or at the pool edge, including feeding babies.
  • No glass of any kind is permitted on deck or in the pool area, especially in the baby pool area.
  • In the grass areas, if you have anything in a glass bottle, please pour it into a non-glass container and take any empty glass containers home. Please do not throw glass away in the pool garbage cans.
  • Responsible consumption of alcohol is permitted only in the grass areas.
  • No gum is permitted in the pool or pool area.
  • When the snack shack is open, exact change, gift card, or credit/debit card is needed to make purchases.

Weather and Lightning

RFD will close the pool and clear the pool deck immediately when thunder is heard, lightning is seen, or lightning is detected within the approved radius by an RFD-approved weather/lightning monitoring tool.

  • RFD’s approved lightning radius is 10 miles unless changed by the Board or Pool Manager.
  • The pool will remain closed for at least 30 minutes after the last thunder heard, lightning seen, or app-detected lightning strike within the approved radius.
  • Each new thunder, lightning sighting, or app-detected lightning strike within the approved radius resets the 30-minute timer.
  • The pavilion, covered picnic areas, tents, umbrellas, trees, and open-sided structures are not safe lightning shelters.
  • Members and guests should move to a fully enclosed building or hard-topped vehicle when directed by staff.
  • Staff will not promise a reopening time. The pool will reopen only when conditions are safe and the required waiting period has passed.

Unaccompanied Children

Children under age 10 may not be at the pool unaccompanied, meaning they must be with a parent, guardian, or approved babysitter/caregiver.

Children age 10–12 may be at the pool unaccompanied until 5:45 p.m. each day only if they have:

  • passed the Swim Test; and
  • required parent permission on file under current RFD membership procedures.

At 5:45 p.m. every evening, lifeguards will announce that all unaccompanied children 12 years old and younger must exit the pool grounds unless they are with a parent or guardian over 18 years old. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Members who continually violate this policy could have their membership suspended or revoked. These policies are in place for the safety of all members.

Babysitters/Caregivers

  • Members may designate an individual who is 16 years old or older as a babysitter or caregiver of the Member’s child or children when a parent is not with the child or children at the pool.
  • A Sustaining Member may add one babysitter/caregiver who is not a family member to their account without charge. Annual Members may add a babysitter/caregiver to their account for $50 per babysitter/caregiver.
  • To designate a babysitter/caregiver, the Member must complete and submit the Babysitter/Caregiver form, which is available at the pool entrance or online at www.rutherfordpool.org. This form must be submitted, and any applicable fee must be paid, before the babysitter/caregiver may enter the pool grounds.
  • A babysitter/caregiver must be 16 years or older. If your babysitter/caregiver is under 18 years old, they may not bring children to the pool after 6:00 p.m. No exceptions.
  • Babysitters/caregivers are not added to the online portal. Completed Babysitter/Caregiver forms will be maintained in a file with pool staff.
  • The babysitter/caregiver may only attend the pool with the child or children of the Member family. They may not come to the pool on their own unless they are also a Member.

Guests and Guest Passes

Guests will only be admitted to the pool with an appropriate guest pass and must be checked in at the front desk.

If you bring guests to the pool at any time:

  • Guests must be accompanied by a member host while on pool grounds.
  • Members under age 13 may not host guests unless accompanied by a parent/guardian or approved babysitter/caregiver.
  • Guests age 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent/guardian, member host age 18 or older, or approved babysitter/caregiver.
  • Guests age 13–17 may be accompanied by a member host age 13 or older, provided the member host is permitted to be at the pool unaccompanied and remains with the guest while on pool grounds.
  • Adult guests may be required to show ID at sign-in.
  • Guests must follow all RFD rules and staff instructions.
  • The sponsoring member family/account holder is responsible for ensuring guests follow RFD rules.
  • Guests who do not follow RFD rules or staff instructions may be asked to leave and may lose future guest privileges.

Guest Passes

  • All Sustaining Members will receive twelve guest passes for the season. Guest passes will be added to your account.
  • Members can add guest passes to their account at any time by purchasing additional passes through the portal:
    • Log in to your account.
    • At the top, scroll over “Memberships.”
    • Click “Buy Guest Passes.”
    • You can purchase guest passes for $5 per pass or a package of 10 for $40.
  • You can also purchase guest passes at the pool entrance. Passes purchased at the gate are $5 each and do not receive the online package discount.
  • Guest passes are not allowed to be used on days when RFD holds one of its Holiday Parties unless otherwise approved by RFD.
  • Guests can only use the pool a limited number of times before they will not be admitted. This policy is intended to prevent non-members from using guest passes all summer. If your neighbors want to come to the pool regularly, please encourage them to join.
  • Exceptions may be made for children and teens depending on the circumstance. Please contact [email protected] with questions or exception requests.
  • If you have family or friends visiting for an extended period of time, please contact [email protected]. RFD has special weekly passes for out-of-town guests. Please allow enough time to process the information and enable payment.