As communities across the country prepare for another summer swim season, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is increasing its focus on one of the most persistent safety issues surrounding residential pools and spas: child drownings. This week, the CPSC announced it is making up to $4 million in pool safety grants through Pool Safely, providing financial support to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments working to strengthen pool safety enforcement and drowning prevention initiatives.

The announcement comes as federal data continues showing troubling trends involving pediatric drownings. According to statistics cited by the CPSC and CDC, drowning remains the leading cause of death for children between the ages of one and four and continues ranking among the leading causes of accidental death for older children nationwide.

Between 2020 and 2022, an average of 357 children under the age of 15 died annually in pool- or spa-related drownings. Hundreds of additional non-fatal submersion incidents also required emergency medical treatment during that same period, many resulting in long-term neurological injuries.

The latest grant funding initiative reflects growing concern among regulators and safety organizations that progress made over the last two decades may be slowing as drowning fatalities trend upward again following years of decline.

Federal Officials Shift Focus Toward Enforcement

The Pool Safely Grant Program operates under the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, legislation passed in 2007 following the death of 7-year-old Virginia Graeme Baker, who became trapped by the suction force of a spa drain.

The law dramatically reshaped public pool safety standards nationwide by requiring compliant anti-entrapment drain covers and additional circulation safety systems in public pools and spas. Its impact was immediate.

According to figures referenced by the CPSC, there has not been a reported child death involving drain entrapment in a public pool or spa in the United States since implementation of the Virginia Graeme Baker Act.

Federal regulators are now applying similar pressure toward broader residential drowning prevention efforts, particularly in areas where enforcement and compliance vary significantly from one jurisdiction to another.

Communities receiving pool safety grants may qualify for awards ranging from $50,000 to $400,000, with at least half of the money required to support enforcement-related activities such as inspections, staffing, and training. Remaining funds may be used for public education campaigns, outreach programs, and water safety initiatives.

The emphasis on enforcement highlights a growing concern that many residential pool safety regulations already exist on paper, but compliance oversight often depends heavily on local resources and staffing levels.

In some municipalities, pool barrier inspections and residential code enforcement remain aggressive and highly structured. In others, enforcement may be complaint-driven or limited by staffing shortages and budget constraints.

Older residential pools can also complicate compliance efforts, particularly in neighborhoods where construction predates modern barrier standards and updated safety requirements.

Most Incidents Continue Occurring in Residential Settings

One of the more sobering realities surrounding child drownings is how often they occur outside of active recreational swimming.

According to data cited by the CPSC, nearly 70% of toddler drownings happen during non-swim times rather than organized pool activity.

That statistic has played a major role in reshaping how safety organizations approach drowning prevention messaging. Much of the conversation now centers around restricting unsupervised access to water rather than focusing exclusively on recreational swim safety.

Residential barriers remain one of the most heavily emphasized components of modern pool safety programs, particularly:

• Four-sided isolation fencing
• Self-closing, self-latching gates
• Door alarms
• Safety covers
• Pool alarms
• Compliant anti-entrapment drain covers

Safety advocates increasingly describe drowning prevention as a layered strategy rather than a single-product solution. Physical barriers, supervision, swim instruction, alarms, and CPR preparedness are all viewed as overlapping safeguards designed to reduce the likelihood of unsupervised water access and improve emergency response when incidents occur.

The broader discussion has also evolved alongside newer pool technologies. Cameras, motion sensors, smart alerts, and connected automation systems have become more common in residential environments, though safety organizations continue warning against relying too heavily on technology without maintaining physical barriers and direct supervision.

Swim Education and Water Competency Continue Drawing Attention

The latest drowning statistics have also renewed focus on disparities involving swim instruction and water competency access.

According to figures referenced by the CPSC, Black children and American Indian/Alaska Native children continue experiencing disproportionately higher drowning rates compared to white children, particularly in swimming pools.

Many organizations involved in water safety outreach have attributed those disparities to unequal access to swim lessons, aquatic facilities, and community education programs.

Over the last several years, municipalities and nonprofit groups have expanded subsidized swim lesson programs aimed at younger children and underserved communities, particularly in areas lacking affordable aquatic education opportunities.

Additional grant funding distributed through the Pool Safely program could help expand some of those local initiatives moving forward.

A Renewed National Focus Ahead of Summer

Applications for the latest round of pool safety grants are being accepted through July 13, 2026 through the federal Grants.gov portal under grant opportunity CP-VGB-26-01.

The funding initiative arrives at a time when pool safety organizations, regulators, and local governments are placing renewed emphasis on drowning prevention ahead of peak summer swimming activity.

For federal agencies, the concern extends beyond statistics alone. Rising pediatric drowning fatalities have increasingly become a public health issue tied not only to residential pool access, but also to enforcement consistency, swim education availability, and long-term community safety infrastructure.

The latest funding effort suggests regulators are preparing for a more aggressive push toward residential pool safety compliance and broader public awareness campaigns over the next several years as communities continue searching for ways to reverse a trend that has become increasingly difficult to ignore.

May is National Water Safety Month, and while many of the conversations surrounding pool safety tend to focus on supervision, swim lessons, and drowning prevention education, one of the most important physical layers of protection around a swimming pool is often overlooked entirely — the barrier system itself.

For many homeowners, a pool fence is treated as little more than a code requirement or decorative backyard feature. But according to Jeremy Brongo, owner of Florida State Fence, the details surrounding a properly designed and maintained pool barrier can make a tremendous difference when seconds matter most.

“One of the things that a fence can do is prolong the time that it takes for a child to get close to a pool,” said Brongo. “So it’s just an added layer of protection that doesn’t allow the children to accidentally fall into the pool.”

That idea — buying precious time — sits at the heart of modern pool safety philosophy.

Drowning Prevention Starts With Safety

Drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death for young children in the United States, and nowhere is the issue more pronounced than in Florida. According to Florida Department of Health data, the state routinely leads the nation in child drowning fatalities among children ages 1-4. In many cases, the incidents occur in residential swimming pools.

Florida’s year-round swimming weather, combined with the sheer number of residential pools throughout the state, helped push lawmakers to adopt some of the country’s strongest residential pool barrier laws decades ago.

Brongo says the speed at which these incidents occur is something many homeowners fail to fully appreciate until tragedy strikes close to home.

“You always hear families or someone that has dealt with somebody who they know that has drowned in a pool,” said Brongo. “They always say that it happened so quick.”

That reality is one reason why safety experts increasingly stress the importance of layered protection around pools rather than relying on any one single solution.

Barriers, Part of The Pyramid of Pool Safety

The concept of a “Pyramid of Pool Safety,” is an approach heavily promoted throughout the aquatics industry. The idea is simple: no single device or technology is foolproof on its own.

Fences, alarms, supervision, swim lessons, self-closing gates, drain safety systems, and water competency all work together as overlapping layers of protection.

Adam Katchmarchi, Vice President of Educational Development at Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, previously told Pool Magazine that while technology is making advancements in assisting in drowning prevention, “there is no replacement for barriers, supervision, and water competency.”

Brongo echoes that same philosophy from the barrier side of the industry.

“I think just giving that extra layer of protection buys you more time,” he explained. “If a toddler or child gets away from you temporarily, it gives you those few extra precious moments to act and help try to keep children safe .”

Florida Leading The Way By Necessity

One of the biggest misconceptions homeowners have is that any backyard fence automatically satisfies pool safety laws.

In reality, Florida’s Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act contains very specific requirements governing residential barriers and controlled access around pools.

“That law requires residential pools to have at least one approved safety feature designed to restrict or detect unsupervised access,” Brongo explained. “The most common solution is a compliant barrier system around the pool, such as a fence.”

The problem, according to Brongo, is that many homeowners never realize how technical those requirements actually become.

“I think people just assume that if they have a fence, then they’re compliant,” said Brongo. “But the fence actually has a lot of specifications that make it pool compliant.”

Pool barriers in Florida must generally be at least 48 inches tall and designed to discourage climbing. But even something as simple as the placement of a horizontal rail can create a code issue.

“If there’s a horizontal bar in the fence, that will allow a small child to put their foot in there and basically act as a ladder,” Brongo said. “So the spacing between any horizontal members on the fence has to be greater than 45 inches.”

The Gate Is The Most Important Part

While the fence itself matters, Brongo says the gate is often the single most critical component of the entire system.

“I would say the gate’s probably the number one most important part of the fence,” said Brongo. “That’s naturally where people tend to walk and tend to go to access a pool.”

Florida law requires pool gates to be self-closing and self-latching, but Brongo says homeowners often underestimate how important proper operation truly is.

“If the gate for some reason closes but doesn’t fully latch, and the gate’s still accessible or has the ability to get in, that can become an issue,” he explained.

Another requirement many people never realize exists is the direction the gate swings.

“The gate’s required to swing out. The gate cannot swing in,” said Brongo. “A lot of people don’t know this.”

The reasoning behind that rule is surprisingly practical. Young children naturally push forward against barriers. If a gate swings inward and isn’t fully latched, a child leaning into it could accidentally open access directly to the pool.

“If it swings out, if a child walks up, they’re not going to have the ability to reach up to where the handle of the latch should be,” Brongo explained. “And if they lean on the fence, it would typically latch and wouldn’t open.”

The Hidden Problems Homeowners Miss

Some of the biggest safety risks surrounding pool barriers aren’t actually part of the fence itself.

Brongo says his company frequently encounters situations where homeowners unknowingly create climbing hazards around otherwise compliant barriers.

“One of the main ones is if there’s something left near a fence or some type of pool equipment or AC equipment that’s too close to a fence and can be used as an object that someone can climb on,” he said. “That’s just not something that’s thought about very often.”

Furniture, planters, coolers, storage bins, and even landscaping can all unintentionally compromise a barrier system over time.

That same gradual change is why maintenance becomes so important.

“I would say people tend to get complacent and they don’t maintain,” Brongo explained. “The fence may have been installed pool-compliant at one time, but over time, the gate might not be functioning the same way that it was the day it was installed.”

Pool owners should routinely inspect hinges, latches, springs, closures, and surrounding conditions to ensure the barrier is still performing correctly years after installation.

“The gates usually are just an easy adjustment,” said Brongo. “Most of the hinges on our gates are spring-loaded. You can adjust the tension with an Allen wrench. It takes no more than two minutes.”

When To Plan A Pool Barrier

According to Brongo, barrier planning should never be treated as an afterthought.

In Florida, barrier systems are directly tied into the final stages of pool construction and inspection.

“It’s part of the pool safety inspection here in Florida,” said Brongo. “They actually will not allow a homeowner to fill the pool with water until they have the barrier system in place.”

That means pool owners should be discussing fencing, access points, alarms, and overall safety design alongside the original pool layout — not after construction is complete.

For homeowners using the house itself as part of the barrier system, additional protections may also be required.

“Any doors leading directly to the pool area may have to have an alarm or some type of self-closing option,” Brongo explained.

Safety And Backyard Design Can Coexist

One of the reasons some homeowners resist installing pool fencing is the belief that barriers ruin the visual appeal of a backyard.

Brongo says modern fencing options have evolved significantly over the years.

“Fencing’s come a long way,” he said. “There’s so many great options now for pool fences.”

Aluminum fencing remains one of the most popular choices throughout Florida, but today’s homeowners also have access to a wide variety of colors, styles, and designs capable of blending into luxury outdoor environments while still remaining code compliant.

Ultimately, though, aesthetics should never outweigh safety.

“It can happen in a split second, and safety is the number one priority,” Brongo said. “If there’s anything that they can do to help prevent an incident, fencing is obviously one of those items.”

Because when it comes to pool safety, the details most people miss are often the ones that matter most.

Ready to take a deeper dive?

Listen to our entire conversation with Jeremy Brongo on the Pool Magazine podcast.

Photo Credits: Florida State Fence

(Phoenix, Az.) – The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) Central Arizona Chapter, in partnership with PHTA’s Step Into Swim drowning prevention initiative, presented a $20,000 donation to the Valley of the Sun YMCA during a special event on April 30, 2026, at the YMCA Legacy Foundation Chris-Town.

This generous contribution will directly fund swim lesson programs for children and families throughout the Phoenix community, helping increase access to critical water safety education and drowning prevention resources.

The event brought together members of the Valley of the Sun YMCA, leadership from the PHTA Central Arizona Chapter, and special guest Rowdy Gaines, three-time Olympic gold medalist, who leads the Step Into Swim initiative as PHTA’s Vice President of Partnerships & Development.

“Learning to swim is not just a life skill—it’s a lifesaving skill,” says Scott Bushey, President of the PHTA Central Arizona Chapter. “Through this partnership with Step Into Swim and the YMCA, we are proud to invest in programs that give children the confidence and ability to stay safe in and around water.”

Drowning remains a leading cause of accidental death in Arizona, particularly among young children. Access to swim lessons has been proven to significantly reduce the risk of drowning, making community-based programs like those offered by the YMCA essential.

“Drowning is preventable, and swim lessons save lives,” says Garrett Brolsma, Chief Operating Officer of the Valley of the Sun YMCA. “We’re grateful to the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance Central Arizona Chapter and Step Into Swim for this $20,000 investment, which will help more Phoenix families access lifesaving water safety skills.”

PHTA, the trade association representing the swimming pool, hot tub, and spa industry, formed the Step Into Swim drowning prevention initiative in 2012 and has gifted more than 500,000 swim lessons to children and families across the country and abroad. This collaboration with the local PHTA Central Arizona Chapter highlights a shared commitment to water safety and community impact.

“Step Into Swim receiving support from regional PHTA Chapters has a huge effect on individual communities and helps us focus our funding on the children and families who need it most,” says Gaines. “We are proud to work alongside the PHTA Central Arizona Chapter to help the Valley of the Sun YMCA expand the reach of their lifesaving mission, and we thank the local PHTA members who made this generous donation possible.”

The April 30th event included remarks from community leaders, a ceremonial check presentation, and opportunities to highlight the importance of water safety education as Arizona approaches the peak summer swim season.

To learn more, visit www.stepintoswim.org.

About the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance and Step Into Swim™:
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), a non-profit organization with 4,000 members from around the world, was established in 1956 to support, promote, and protect the common interests of the $62B pool, hot tub, and spa industry. PHTA provides education, advocacy, standards development, research, and market growth initiatives to increase our members’ professionalism, knowledge, and profitability. Additionally, PHTA promotes the use of pools by expanding swimming, water safety, and related research and outreach activities aimed at introducing more people to swimming, making swimming environments safer, and keeping pools open to serve communities. For more information, visit www.phta.org.

Step Into Swim™ is an initiative of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance and its foundation committed to safe swim education and drowning prevention. By investing in the next generation of swimmers through learn-to-swim programming, the Step Into Swim initiative instills confidence, empowers long-term participation in water activities, touts the positive benefits of water play, and advocates for safe practices. Since its inception in 2012, Step Into Swim has played a role in reducing drowning fatalities and has gifted swim lessons to more than 500,000 children with support from community organizations, partners, industry advocates, members, and more. For more information, visit www.stepintoswim.org.

About Valley of the Sun YMCA:
The Valley of the Sun YMCA is a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the Phoenix community through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. With a strong commitment to water safety, the Y provides accessible swim lessons and drowning prevention education to children and families across the region—regardless of financial circumstance. Through community partnerships and evidence-based programming, the YMCA helps equip individuals with the skills and confidence to be safe in and around water. As Arizona faces one of the highest drowning rates in the nation, the Valley of the Sun YMCA remains focused on expanding access to lifesaving swim education so every child has the opportunity to learn this critical skill.