Bather load refers to the capacity of a municipal swimming pool

Swimming pool

A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...

, a water fountain, or similar facility. Often bather load is dictated by the capacity of water treatment equipment (filters, chemical processing, and the like). Facilities intended only for decoration (i.e. not intended to support a bather load) must maintain a certain minimum standard of water quality, since children often play in, or drink from them.

Bather load can be defined as the number of bathers using the pool in a 24 hour period.