Pool-permit rule pressed by county

LOWVILLE — The Lewis County Building and Codes Department is reminding people that pools deeper than 2 feet require a permit.

"Repeatedly, homeowners tell me they don't understand why they need a permit, that they watch their children and the pool is safe," Ward J. Dailey, senior code enforcement officer, said in a release. "Yet each year children drown. Unlike the movies, children rarely call for help. Their drownings occur with no warning and quickly."

Pool permit requirements include a pool alarm and barriers to deny unsupervised entry.

Homeowners should contact their local codes department before purchasing a pool, including inflatable ones, the release said.