Drowning deaths increasing each year in Arizona

City and county pool barrier laws for pool safety

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The number of drowning deaths across Arizona are increasing every year, according to the Drowning Prevention Coalition of AZ.

Already this year there have been dozens of drowning deaths in the state.

Last month in Yuma, two children under three died within one week after drowning in a home swimming pool.

With summer officially in full swing, we want to remind you of the current city and county pool barrier laws.

In Yuma county, residential pools are required to have at least a 4-foot fence or barrier as well as a motorized pool cover.

In the City of Yuma, residents have the option of installing the 4-foot barrier or an alarm system.

Shelley Ostrowski of Realty One Group Gateway in Yuma has been in real estate for 25-years.

She teaches new agents real estate contracts.

Ostrowski said, “Any place there’s access to that pool we have to make sure it's secure. And the barriers are only as good as us."

She added, "I have a pool, around my whole yard, is a fence where my neighbors can not access my pool. The gates have to have locks on them. But if you have a small child you might want to consider fencing around that body of water.”

Homeowners and buyers are expected to bring their pools up to code.