Are Fences Required for Inflatable Pools in Gloucester Twp.?

Following the tragic death of a swimmer in Glendora on Tuesday, a reader contacted Gloucester Township Patch to ask whether the increasingly popular inflatable PVC pools need to be enclosed.

While it was a 37-year-old man who died in Tuesday's incident—police have indicated the man's death may have been related to a medical condition—the reader was troubled by the proliferation of these temporary pools and the potential danger they pose to small children if not properly secured.

"I see people that have just popped them up on their side yards or even front yards in some instances, and I am just worried about how safe these really are," the reader wrote.

So, do these pools require fences?

The short answer: Yes.

According to the Gloucester Township ordinance regulating pools, any swimming pool that holds 24 inches or more of water at any point must be surrounded by a fence no less than 4 feet high. In certain cases, "a natural barrier, hedge, pool cover or other protective device" can be used to satisfy the township's requirement for a secure enclosure.

If you see an inflatable or PVC pool that is not enclosed, contact the Gloucester Township Code Enforcement Unit at 856-374-3513 or codeenforcement@gtpolice.com.

To obtain a pool permit, call 856-374-3500.

The complete ordinance:

75-10 (Safety Precautions) Swimming pool safety devices. Every person owning land on which there is situated a swimming pool, which contains twenty-four (24) inches or more of water in depth at any point, shall erect and maintain thereon an adequate enclosure either surrounding the property or pool area sufficient to make such body of water inaccessible to small children. Such enclosure, including gates therein, must be not less than four (4) feet above the underlying ground; all gates must be self-latching with latches placed four (4) feet above the underlying ground or otherwise made inaccessible from the outside to small children. A natural barrier, hedge, pool cover or other protective device approved by the governing body may be used so long as the degree of protection afforded by the substituted devices or structures is not less than the protection afforded by the enclosure, gate and latch described herein.

(Editor's Note: See the attached PDF on water safety tips from Gloucester Township Police Department.)