Bipartisan approval in the House for the amendment strengthening safety in swimming pools

The House of Representatives has given the green light to the amendment to the Sports Decree, which strengthens safety measures in swimming pools, following the spate of tragedies in recent weeks. The legislation, approved with cross-party support and 244 votes in favour, introduces stricter regulations for public facilities, private facilities open to the public and those for communal use: recirculation systems and suction inlets – from the intake pipes to the bottom grilles – must meet standards that prevent the suction cup effect. Failure to comply will result in the immediate closure of the facility until it is brought up to standard. The amendment also establishes a fund of 4.7 million euros for 2026, earmarked for bringing public swimming pools up to standard. Among the new provisions, there is no requirement for children under 16 to wear swimming caps. The amendment proposed by Lega MP Laura Cavandoli was withdrawn before the vote. Despite the unanimous support during the vote, opposition MPs took the floor to raise their concerns about the additional clause, which they described as “poorly drafted, riddled with weaknesses and vague”, and which “does not solve the problem and responds to media pressure rather than a genuine safety need”.

"I would like to thank Parliament, which is currently approving legislation concerning public swimming pools or those open to the public, prohibiting the use of drain outlets that create whirlpools and cause suction, as has sadly happened in recent days, claiming the lives of far too many young boys and girls." This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini, who also announced that the measure “will come into force on 1 August”.

“In public or private swimming pools intended for public use, including those for communal use, the recirculation system for water treatment and, in particular, the water intake points such as bottom grilles, inlets or any other equipment used for this purpose, must ensure safety by preventing vortex-like suction effects that act like a suction cup on any part of bathers’ bodies. In the event of a breach of the provisions of paragraph one – as stated in the text – the facility shall be closed immediately until the obligations set out therein have been fulfilled. This is without prejudice to the further obligations and responsibilities laid down by current legislation on the safety, management and maintenance of swimming pools and aquatic facilities.”

With regard to ‘expenditure incurred in bringing public swimming pools into line with the systems referred to in paragraph one, a fund with an allocation of 4,725,000 euros for the year 2026 is established in the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s budget estimates for transfer to the autonomous budget of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. This expenditure shall be met by a corresponding reduction in the allocation to the special capital account fund entered, for the purposes of the 2026–2028 three-year budget, under the ‘Reserve and Special Funds’ programme of the ‘Funds to be Allocated’ mission in the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s budget estimates for the year 2026, partly by utilising the provision relating to that same Ministry”.