Despite municipal and many other communal pools staying closed due to coronavirus, the Douglas County Health Department is reminding residents with private pools to stay safe.

“Many folks use backyard pools to keep cool, but that comes with serious safety responsibilities,” the department said in a Pool Safety Week news release.

Public health officials stressed the need for fencing around pools, which is required by ordinance.

Douglas County ordinance has requirements for pool installation and maintenance, including requiring in-ground pools and pools greater than 2 feet tall receive a permit before being installed.

Backyard, above-ground pools taller than 2 feet must have a 4-foot fence or wall around the pool. In-ground pools must have a least a 5-foot-7-inch fence. Self-closing latches are required for both types of swimming pools.

The department said that most above-ground pools purchased at local retailers are subject to the ordinance. The most common violations include installing a pool without a permit and failing to install the required fencing.

“Every year we receive multiple complaints about backyard pools without fences,” Environmental Supervisor Russ Hadan said in a news release. “Every complaint is investigated.”

Unintentional drowning kills an average of 10 people a day in the U.S., including two children under age 14, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Pools can also be a disease vector and can be involved in slips and falls.

Find more information at douglascountyhealth.com/swimming-pools.