Stay Safe and Healthy in Your Backyard Pool

"COVID-19 and pools

There is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people through the water in pools, hot tubs, spas, or water play areas. Proper operation and maintenance (including disinfection with chlorine and bromine) of these facilities should inactivate the virus in the water. Limit close contact with people who are not part of your household both in and out of the water. Get more information about COVID-19 and water.

Having a backyard pool can be a fun way for you and your family to be active at home or just relax. However, it is important to know what to do to reduce the risk of injury and illness. Keep your backyard pool safe and healthy to maximize all the health benefits that swimming can bring.

Take Steps to Prevent Drowning

Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death in young children 1–4 years old, but there are things you can do to prevent drowning from happening in your pool:

• Make sure everyone has basic swim skills and water safety awareness.
• Use U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jackets as directed.
• Provide continuous and close supervision to swimmers.
• Know how to recognize and respond to a swimmer in distress and how to perform CPR.
• Prevent access to the water when the pool is not in use.
  • Install and maintain barriers such as four-sided fencing.
  • Use locks/alarms for windows and doors..."
    Backyard pool

Healthy and Safe Swimming

"Pools, hot tubs/spas, and water playgrounds are great places to have fun, be active, or just relax. Learn how to stay healthy and safe when in the water this summer!

Swimming is one of the most popular sports activities in the United States. Just 2.5 hours of physical activity per week, including water-based activity, has health benefits, no matter our age.

As with any form of physical activity, we increase the health benefits when we each do our part to decrease the risks of illness and injury.

Share the Fun, Not the Germs!

Swimming is a fun way to be healthy and spend time with family and friends. However, it’s important not to swim or let your kids swim if  they have diarrhea. Just one diarrheal incident in the water can release millions of diarrhea-causing germs like Crypto (short for Cryptosporidium), Giardia, Shigella, norovirus, and E. coli. This can make other swimmers sick if they swallow a mouthful of contaminated water..."
Healthy swimming

Healthy and Safe Swimming

"Pools, hot tubs, and water playgrounds are great places to have fun, be active, or just relax. Learn how to stay healthy and safe when in the water this summer! 

Swimming is one of the most popular sports activities in the United States. Just 2.5 hours of physical activity per week, including water-based activity, has health benefits, no matter our age. As with any form of physical activity, we maximize the health benefits of swimming when we each do our part to minimize the chance of illness and injury.

Swim Healthy, Stay Healthy!

Swimming is a fun and a great way to stay healthy and spend time with family and friends. However, it’s important not to swim or let your kids swim if they have diarrhea. Just one diarrheal incident in the water can release millions of diarrhea-causing germs like Crypto (short for Cryptosporidium), Giardia, Shigella, norovirus, and E. coli O157:H7. This can make other swimmers sick if they swallow a mouthful of contaminated water.

Most germs are killed within minutes by common pool disinfectants like chlorine or bromine, but Crypto is a germ that can survive in properly chlorinated water for more than 7 days. This is why Crypto is the leading cause of outbreaks  linked to swimming in the United States..."
Swimming

Fatal Drownings in Pools Involving Young Children Decreases By 17 Percent Nationwide Since 2010

"A new report released today by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows that the number of reported fatal child drownings in swimming pools involving children younger than 5—the most vulnerable population—has decreased 17 percent nationwide since 2010, the year our Pool Safely public education campaign was launched. Despite the decrease, fatal and non-fatal child drownings in pools and spas continue to pose a public health challenge across the United States. In national and local media interviews today, CPSC Acting Chairman Ann Marie Buerkle urged families to be vigilant when children are in and around the water this summer.

“Despite the positive decline in numbers, there are still far too many children who drown each year in pools and spas across the country,” said Acting Chairman Buerkle. “Swimming should be fun and a great way for families to be active, so long as everyone knows how to pool safely.  As a mother, grandmother and registered nurse, I raised my kids, and now my grandkids, with a respect for water. Constant supervision, along with four-sided fencing, knowing how to perform CPR and teaching children how to swim are all important steps to continuing the decline in child drownings.”..."

Youth drownings