A residential swimming pool where a 2-year-old Chesterfield County boy drowned this week did not have the required permits and was in violation of building codes designed to prevent such tragedies, Chesterfield’s chief building official says. “The code is very specific in trying to protect against children gaining access to pools, especially this age group,“ William D. “Bill” Dupler, Chesterfield’s director of building inspections, said yesterday.

Pools are a place for relaxation and fun during the warm summer months. But hidden dangers lurk beneath those refreshing waters. From 2002 to 2006, there were 430 unintentional drownings in Virginia. While the vast majority happened in a natural body of water, dozens occurred in swimming pools.