Chadillac's is lots of fun, but is it legal? Authorities say yes.

Staffer Scot Gillaspie helps a park goer with the zipline on Sunday, July 2, 2017, at Chadillac's Backyard Waterpark. Staffer Scot Gillaspie helps a park goer with the zipline on Sunday, July 2, 2017, at Chadillac's Backyard Waterpark. Photo: Michael Minasi/Houston Chronicle Photo: Michael Minasi/Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 48 Caption Close Chadillac's is lots of fun, but is it legal? Authorities say yes. 1 / 48 Back to Gallery

Since it opened in May, an unconventional country water park near Conroe has become a Houston-area phenomenon, capturing the attention of thousands of people on social media.

But news of Chadillac's Backyard Waterpark also brought some questions from Chron.com readers. Is it legal? Is it safe? And why is the water that color?

The answer from Montgomery County officials and Chadillac's owner Chad Mehr is yes, it's legal, yes, it's safe, and that's what happens when you treat natural spring water to keep bacteria out.

Mike Lindsey, Montgomery County's director of consumer health, and Scott Nichols, director of environmental health, said county officials have been out to the site in recent weeks, and their primary opinion is it's a fun attraction for the area.

With no structures on the site that would require permitting, portable toilets and no need for food service certifications, there's no reason for the county to regulate Chadillac's operations, Nichols said. Food trucks that sell food at the facility are permitted to be on the site.

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"They don't have anything out there that we could get involved in or permit," Lindsey said.

Mehr said the man-made lake at Chadillac's is spring fed, and also oxygenated by water pumps that run constantly. The water is also treated with a dye that keeps ultraviolet rays out of the water, hampering bacteria growth.

Mehr declined to comment on liabilities or insurance, but the park has posted safety guidelines. In the months Chadillac's has been open, there have been no safety-related incidents or illnesses reported, he said.

Mehr plans to install a vinyl lining at the bottom of the lake for the 2018 season, and after that the water will be clear and chlorinated, he said.