“We’re not trying to be hard on anybody, but if there’s a little child out there… everybody needs to be aware… a child can drown in just a few inches of water,” said Alan Viox, Nebraska City Building Inspector.
With a code enforcement officer now in place, Viox said more attention will be given to enforcing the city’s pool-related ordinances.
City codes define a swimming pool as “any structure, basin, chamber or tank containing an artificial body of water for swimming, diving or recreational bathing having a depth of 2 feet or more at any point.”
Viox said that he wants all residents to know the restrictions and codes in relation to pools, hot tubs and other such items.
A main point Viox made was that a pool must be enclosed by a fence a minimum of five feet in height. He also stressed that the largest spacing in the fence must not exceed four inches.
“If I have a four-inch ball and I walk up to the fence, I shouldn’t be able to push the ball through the fence,” said Viox.
He explained that if a pool collapses, the drainage should be adequate enough to keep the water from damaging a neighbor’s property.
According to code, inflated pools and pools that can be taken down do not need a permit. Constructing a fence around a pool, however, does require a permit.
Clayton Jones, the new code enforcement officer, warns that fines for not following these standards can be costly. Jones said that violators have five days after a warning to comply before being fined $100 for each day that the pool is not in compliance.
“These codes have been in effect for years, we just never really enforced them,” said Viox.
“Before, we never had a code enforcement officer that has had the authority to write citations and handle this in court,” said Jones.
Viox said that he just wants residents to stay safe. “Maintain your pools and keep your pools covered or fenced to where children and animals can’t get into them and drown.”
