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That backyard pool can look awfully inviting.

If there’s no fence around it, it can be awfully dangerous.

Pennsylvania’s Uniform Construction Code requires building permits for pools capable of holding a depth of at least 24 inches of water.

“If the pool sidewall is less than 48 inches high, a minimum four-foot high barrier or fence is required to be installed,” City of Warren Building Code Officer Alan Gustafson said.

The city will be enforcing that law and others associated with pools.

According to Gustafson, nearly 300 children under the age of 5 drown in swimming pools nationwide each year.

Another 2,500 are treated every year in emergency rooms for pool submersion injuries, he said.

The number of those deaths and injuries occurring in inflatable pools is growing. Because those pools often have slanted and flexible walls, they are easier for children to climb. Gustafson said many people buy those pools without thinking of putting up a fence to protect youngsters.

“It’s nothing new,” City Manager Jim Nelles said.

But, it may seem new in some cases. Very few people go to the local department store and think about getting a building permit as they pick up a $200 inflatable pool

Many inflatable pools can hold two feet of water. Whether they actually have that much water in them or not does not matter.

Also, any pool that has a filter, heater or electric lighting must be inspected regardless of depth.

Gates leading to pool areas must be self-closing and self-latching, ladders must be capable of being secured, locked or removed, and house doors that lead directly to a pool area must be alarmed. Many of the same regulations also apply to hot tubs.

There are location requirements for pools in the city. They may only be in back yards, they must be at least 10 feet from the property lines and attached decks must be at least five feet from those lines, pools must be 10 horizontal feet from any overhead power line and five horizontal feet from underground power lines.

Gustafson said a permit for a temporary pool in one location is not good for all locations. “Once we permit this temporary pool, it’s for this location only,” he said.

If the owner wants to move it to the other end of the yard next year, they will need a new permit.

The inspections for pools that stay in one place are one-time only. According to Gustafson, the cost of a building permit for an above ground pool, including inflatable pools, in the city is $29.

The city provides building inspection services in Youngsville Borough and Sheffield, Pleasant, Pittsfield, Pine Grove and Conewango townships. In those areas, the permit costs $54.

The cost of a permit for in-ground pools varies based on size and electrical connections.

Permit applications may be picked up at the municipal building or downloaded from the city’s Web site, http://www.cityofwarrenpa.gov.'>www.cityofwarrenpa.gov.

“Typically, once they submit the application and the plot plan, it should be fairly quick,” Gustafson said. “A couple days at the most.”

“We shoot for two working days,” Nelles said.

County residents outside of the city’s code enforcement coverage should contact their township supervisors or borough manager if they have questions about pool regulations, Nelles said.

“For the most part, the regulations are the same throughout the state,” Gustafson said.

In the city and out, Nelles and Gustafson want to spread the word.

“We’re educating the public to the requirements under state law,” Nelles said.

In addition to being the law, regulating pools is a liability issue. “Liability is always and issue,” Nelles said. “It’s an issue for townships and municipalities, and it’s an issue for friends and neighbors.”

“Some people aren’t going to take too kindly to this at first,” Nelles said. He said he hopes that people will understand the city’s position when they hear the statistics and think about what’s at stake.

Most of all, it’s a safety issue.

“That’s the core of why we’re doing this,” Gustafson said.

“I think people are really unaware of how dangerous these pools are,” Nelles said, referring to the statistics. “If we can prevent one drowning or one injury, all of our efforts are worthwhile.”

 

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