Williamson County Offers Eateries, Pool Tips On Reopening

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TX — Health officials have launched a hotline to assist local restaurants with operating under the governor's orders calling for business reopening along with guidance related to operating public swimming pools.

“We know that it’s challenging for restaurants and food retailers to keep up with the ever-changing regulations and guidelines,” Lori Murphy, the Williamson County and Cities Health District's environmental health services division director, said in a prepared statement. “We’re trying to assist businesses with a direct line connecting them to our environmental health professionals will help them to safely re-open and operate.”

The hotline can be reached at (512) 248-7600, and will be staffed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Restaurants calling outside those hours have the option of leaving a voicemail message or forwarding their question via email to EH@wilco.org.

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The Environmental Health Services Division also oversees the Public Swimming Pool Program. Under Gov. Greg Abbott’s Executive Order to Expand Openings of Certain Businesses and Activities announced on May 5, item 12. C. states that “Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, May 8, 2020: Swimming pools; provided, however, that (i) indoor swimming pools may operate at up to 25 percent of the total listed occupancy of the pool facility; (ii) outdoor swimming pools may operate at up to 25 percent of normal operating limits as determined by the pool operator; and (iii) local public swimming pools may so operate only if permitted by the local government.” More information to calculate capacity is available on www.wcchd.org.

Public and semi-public pools and spas are those facilities operated by a city or county agency, a homeowners association, apartments/condos, hotels and other forms of lodging, and commercial pools. The program does not include private residential (backyard) pools.

For more information on Williamson County and Cities Health District visit www.wcchd.org.

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