Auburn, WA Swimming Pools & Spas: Safety Rules (2026)

Learn How to Keep Children Safer Around Pools and Spas Here's how you can help reduce child drownings and entrapments in swimming pools and spas. Learn More Supervise Children 1 Supervise Children: Never leave a child unattended in or near water. Always watch children when they’re in or near water, and never leave them unattended. Designate an official Water Watcher, an adult tasked with supervising children in the water. That should be their only task – they shouldn’t be reading... Learn More Learn to Swim 2 Learn to Swim: Teach children how to swim. Swimming is not only fun, it’s a lifesaving skill. Enroll children in swimming lessons; there are many free or reduced-cost options available from your local YMCA, USA Swimming chapter or Parks and Recreation Department. Learn More Know Your Drains 3 Know Your Drains: Teach children to stay away from drains. Do not play or swim near drains or suction outlets, especially in spas and shallow pools, and never enter a pool or spa that has a loose, broken or missing drain cover. Children’s hair, limbs, jewelry or bathing suits can get stuck in a drain or suction opening. When using a spa, be sure to locate... Learn More Ensure Compliance 4 Ensure Compliance: Ensure all pools and spas have compliant drain covers. Virginia Graeme Baker, after whom the Pool and Spa Safety Act is named, died from drowning due to a suction entrapment from a faulty drain cover. All public pools and spas must have drain grates or covers that meet safety standards to avoid incidents like the one that took Graeme’s life... Learn More Install Safety Devices 5 Install Safety Devices: Install proper barriers, covers and alarms. Proper fences, barriers, alarms and covers can be lifesaving devices. A fence of at least four feet in height should surround the pool or spa on all sides and should not be climbable for children. The water should only be accessible through a self-closing, self-latching gate. Teach children... Learn More Get Certified 6 Get Certified: Know how to perform CPR on children and adults. Often, bystanders are the first to aid a drowning victim, so learning CPR can help save a life. And once you’re CPR certified, make sure to keep your certification current. CPR classes are available through many hospitals, community centers, or by contacting the American Red Cross. Learn More Take the Pledge 7 Take the Pledge: Take the Pool Safely Pledge! Before heading to the pool or spa with your family, remember to take the Pool Safely Pledge. This online call to action is a reminder to stay safer around the water. Learn More