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Pool and spa drownings, CPSC 2026 report: condominium pools count as public
The Consumer Product Safety Commission counts child drownings in pools and spas every year. The 2026 report puts the 2021 to 2023 toll at 1,128 children under 15, an average of 376 a year, and 15% of them in public, community or business pools. The report's own footnote says what that category holds: condominium and apartment complex pools.
Fatal drownings, children under 15, 2021 to 2023
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Deaths | 1,128, from 1,113 incidents; average 376 a year |
| 2023 | 379, up from 359 in 2022 |
| Under age 5 | 77% (872 of 1,128) |
| Spas | 55 deaths, about 5% |
| Location | Residential 71% (own home 51%; family, friend or acquaintance 15%; neighbor 5%); public, community or business 15%; undisclosed 14% |
Footnote 11, on the public category: "Condominium and apartment complex pools are included in this category." Footnote 7 says the death counts "are considered minimum counts only" and "cannot be used to determine trends."
Nonfatal submersions treated in emergency departments, children under 15
| Year | Estimated injuries | Under age 5 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 5,200 | 79% |
| 2024 | 6,200 | 69% |
| 2025 | 6,200 | 68% |
| Three-year average | 5,900 | 71% |
Both injuries and deaths peak from May through August; children 10 to 14 stay elevated into September.
Florida pool recordChapter 64E-9 (flrules.org)
What this means for a condominium, hotel or resort pool
| The number | The item it points to |
|---|---|
| 15% of child drownings in public, community or business pools, condominiums included | A condominium pool is a public pool to the regulator and to the plaintiff. The barrier, the self-closing and self-latching gate, the drain covers under the Virginia Graeme Baker Act and the posted rules are inspected items, and the inspection report is the record |
| 77% under age 5 | Gate latches out of a small child's reach and no furniture that can be climbed against the fence; a walk of the enclosure after every landscaping or furniture change |
| 55 spa deaths | Spa drain covers, the emergency shutoff switch and the water temperature limit are their own line on the daily log |
| Peak May through August | The season opening checklist (equipment, chemistry, signage, rescue equipment, phone) is dated before Memorial Day, and the daily operating record runs through September |
Barrier heights, gate hardware, drain-cover standards, signage, lifeguard and rescue-equipment requirements are set by the state health code (in Florida, Chapter 64E-9 and Chapter 514) and local ordinance; confirm with the county health department and your licensed pool contractor.
What is not on this page, and why
CPSC's report is national; it does not break the figures down by state or name any facility. Adult drownings are outside its scope. Florida's Department of Health does not publish a statewide pool inspection statistics report; county inspection results are on each county health department's site.
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