Colonie, NY Swimming Pools & Spas: Safety Rules (2026)

Pool safety enforcement in Colonie spans federal, state, and local rules. The federal Virginia Graeme Baker (VGB) Pool and Spa Safety Act, codified at 15 USC sections 8001-8008 and enforced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, requires every public pool and spa to have ANSI/APSP-16 (or successor) compliant anti-entrapment drain covers and, for single-main-drain pools, a secondary anti-entrapment system (gravity drainage, safety vacuum release, suction-limiting vent, or automatic pump shut-off). The VGB Act applies to public pools, including HOA, hotel, and apartment-complex pools located in Colonie, but its drain-cover standard has been adopted as best practice for residential installations as well. The New York State Sanitary Code at 10 NYCRR Subpart 6-1 regulates public/semi-public pools - permits-to-operate, water-quality testing, lifeguard staffing, and signage - enforced by the Albany County Department of Health; that subpart expressly excludes private single-family residential pools. For residential pools, NEC Article 680 (NFPA 70) requires equipotential bonding of all metal parts within 5 feet of the pool, GFCI protection of all 120V receptacles within 20 feet, and specific lighting standards. The ISPSC adopted at 19 NYCRR Part 1228 governs barriers, gates, and door alarms (see swimming-pools/fencing-requirements). Diving boards and slides must meet ISPSC depth requirements. Colonie's Department of Building & Code Enforcement inspects all four layers at the pool's final inspection.