Confirm the pool code and edition the jurisdiction enforces and whether the pool is residential or public, then trace dimensions, depths, barriers and gates, decks and steps, circulation and fill piping, equipment, and bonding through the architectural, pool, plumbing, and electrical drawings. AI can flag conflicts; the designer and code official decide compliance.
What does the ISPSC cover?
ICC’s preface describes the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code as establishing minimum requirements for the design, construction, alteration, repair, and maintenance of swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, and aquatic facilities. ICC describes it as coordinated with the other I-Codes and developed with the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance.
ICC Digital Codes lists the 2027 ISPSC as published, and ICC’s store offers the 2027 edition. Checked October 5, 2026. The building code also has its own section on swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs, and a public pool may also need approval under state or county health rules. Record which documents the jurisdiction enforces.
A house pool often sits in the same set as the house; see the IRC guide. Gas-fired pool heaters follow the IFGC guide, and the electrical work the NFPA 70 guide.
Gather the pool, deck, piping, and electrical documents
Collect the pool plans and sections with dimensions and depths, the pool data table or schedule, deck and barrier plans with gates, the pool piping, circulation, and fill-control drawings, the equipment room layout and equipment schedule, the electrical drawings for pool equipment and bonding, the site plan, and the pool specification section. Include any health department submittal for a public pool.
Pool data tables are often prepared apart from the plans. Compare them line by line with the drawn dimensions.
Connect the pool across disciplines
| Review question | Sources to compare | Decision to record |
|---|---|---|
| Code and pool type | Code analysis, pool notes, health department documents | Confirm the code, the edition, and whether the pool is residential or public. |
| Dimensions and depths | Pool plan, sections, pool data table | Reconcile lengths, widths, and depths across every source. |
| Barriers and gates | Site plan, barrier plan, gate details, elevations | Trace the barrier around the pool and match each gate and its hardware. |
| Decks, steps, and entries | Deck plans, sections, details | Check that steps, ladders, and entries shown in plan have details. |
| Circulation and fill piping | Pool piping plans, legends, equipment schedule | Find piping and fill controls that are referenced but not provided. |
| Equipment and bonding | Equipment room plan, electrical drawings, schedules | Match equipment tags and confirm power and bonding are shown for each item. |
Use the plumbing checklist for the water supply and drainage connections and the electrical checklist for equipment circuits.
Example: the pool table and the plan disagree
Published finding. In Groundbook’s published parking and pool review, the pool data table gave a shorter length than the pool plan and section, and the pool piping and fill-control references pointed to documents that were not in the set.
Pool lengths conflict: the pool table gives a shorter length than the plan and section. Coordinate one pool length across the set, and provide the referenced piping plans, legends, and fill controls.
The pool designer confirms the intended size and issues the missing piping documents. Neither finding needed a code calculation; both came from comparing documents that should agree.
Review pool drawings with Groundbook
Upload the current drawings and specifications to Groundbook, and state the edition, amendments, and review scope in your instructions. Add the ISPSC edition the project uses from a copy you are licensed to use, where the license permits uploading it, and the jurisdiction’s published amendments. See how Groundbook works with local and licensed codes.
Compare the pool plans, sections, and pool data table with the barrier and gate drawings, deck details, pool piping and fill-control drawings, equipment schedule, electrical drawings, and specifications. Flag conflicting dimensions and depths, referenced documents missing from the set, and equipment or bonding shown in only one discipline. Use the supplied ISPSC edition and local amendments and cite both sources.
Groundbook links each potential finding to the sheets involved, including references to documents missing from the upload.
Document review does not design circulation systems, approve barriers, or replace the pool designer, the health department, or the building official.