Arizona's Vital Water Safety Report: An In-Depth Look at the 2024 Pool and Spa Drowning Study

Arizona’s Vital Water Safety Report: An In-Depth Look at the 2024 Pool and Spa Drowning Study

Understanding Nonfatal Drowning Injuries and Fatalities to Keep Arizona Safe

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has released its comprehensive 2024 report on pool and spa submersion incidents, offering critical insights into nonfatal drowning injuries and reported fatalities. This detailed study, spearheaded by Ted Yang, provides essential data for enhancing water safety not only in Arizona but across the entire nation. The report’s focus is on emergency department-treated injuries and fatalities among children younger than 15 years old from 2021 to 2023.

The report reveals that an estimated 6,500 children are treated annually in U.S. emergency departments for nonfatal drowning injuries related to pools or spas. The findings underscore the vulnerability of young children, with a striking 77% of these injuries involving children under five years old. Interestingly, the data indicates no significant statistical difference in the number of injuries reported in 2023 (6,200) compared to 2022 (6,400), suggesting a consistent risk level year over year.

The study sheds light on gender disparities, indicating that male children are more frequently treated for pool or spa-related nonfatal drowning injuries than female children, particularly in the 5-14 age group. Specifically, 53% of the injured were male, while 47% were female. Ethnicity data showed that 52% of the victims’ ethnicities were unspecified. Among the known cases, Hispanic children accounted for 20%, and non-Hispanic children made up 80%.


The summer months—May, June, July, and August—witness the highest percentages of nonfatal drowning injuries across all age groups, highlighting the necessity for increased vigilance during these times. The data indicates that children between the ages of one and three accounted for approximately 63% of the nonfatal drowning injuries, emphasizing the critical need for parental supervision and effective safety measures for toddlers.

The report reveals that residential settings are the most common locations for these incidents, with 45% of injuries among children under five occurring at home. For children in the 5-14 age group, public locations accounted for 57% of the incidents. Of those treated for nonfatal drowning injuries, 43% were admitted to the hospital or transferred to another facility, underscoring the severity of many of these incidents.

From 2019 to 2021, an annual average of 358 fatal drownings involving children under 15 was reported. Alarmingly, 75% of these fatalities occurred in children younger than five. The majority of these tragic deaths happened in residential pools, with in-ground pools being the most common setting.

This report underscores the paramount importance of water safety initiatives in Arizona, where pool ownership is prevalent due to the hot climate. Parents and caregivers are urged to ensure constant supervision of young children around water, install proper barriers such as pool fences, and consider enrolling children in swimming lessons to equip them with essential water survival skills. Public awareness campaigns and community programs are also crucial in reducing these preventable incidents.

For more detailed insights and safety recommendations, the public is encouraged to visit the CPSC website and explore resources specifically tailored to enhancing water safety in Arizona communities. By staying informed and proactive, we can collectively help prevent these tragedies and ensure that everyone enjoys the benefits of swimming and water recreation safely.

Through dedicated efforts and a community-focused approach, we can make significant strides in protecting our children and making Arizona a model for water safety excellence.