Most people are aware that water and electricity don’t mix, but a surprising number of electricity-related accidents happen in swimming pools. To our knowledge, the most recent fatal incident occurred in September 2020. 15-year-old Khaleel Marcos Reynolds was electrocuted after he touched wires from an interior pool light at the North Villa Inn swimming pool in Houston, Texas. According to authorities, the pool's interior light had been removed, exposing the wires.

Health officials said that based on the pool’s inspection history, it shouldn’t have been open in the first place. Experts say that for safety reasons it’s a good idea to get your residential pool inspected twice a year for electrical continuity, and get any pool lights checked at that time.

Lights are required by National Electric Code to be grounded and bonded, and that is one of the primary things that should be inspected at least twice a year — that the grounding is intact, the bonding is intact, and the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) is present and functional.

If the GFCI is working properly, it should shut the power off to the pool if there is a problem. Electrical inspections by qualified and licensed professionals can save lives. This is particularly important on older pools, where some of the wiring may have come loose or become corroded.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the biggest concerns are faulty underwater lighting; aging electrical wiring that hasn’t been inspected; or the use of electrical appliances that are not grounded. Ask your pool and spa service professional to arrange an electrical inspection today.