Pools and Spas in Abilene, TX

An in-ground pool is a water-holding shell set into an excavated hole, with a pump and filter that keep the water moving and clean. In Abilene a pool needs a City permit, a barrier that meets the City’s code, and a shell and deck designed for clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry.

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When does an Abilene pool need a City permit?

Most in-ground pools do. The City of Abilene ties the permit to a pool deeper than 24 inches, larger than 250 square feet of surface area or holding more than 3,250 gallons. Abilene has its own residential in-ground pool permit application, handled by Building Inspections, which also schedules the inspections.

The application needs a site plan showing the pool’s dimensions and its distance from property lines, structures, easements and high wires. The City’s sheet calls for 10 feet of horizontal clearance from overhead power lines and 5 feet from underground lines. Draw those before choosing a shape, because an easement or a power line can move the pool.

Contractors working in Abilene must be registered with the City, and the City requires a swimming pool contractor’s license. Ask any builder, us included, to show the City registration for the exact work on your lot. Our guide to building a pool in Abilene walks through the full permit and contractor path.

What barrier does the City require around a pool?

Abilene uses the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code with its own amendments, and gates on the pool barrier must be self-closing and positively latching. The City’s pool sheet calls for a wall or fence at least 4 feet high around the pool.

An ordinary privacy fence can serve as the barrier only if it meets that standard. The amendments mention natural barriers in the context of lakeshores, which does not describe a typical subdivision yard. Plan on a built barrier and confirm anything else with Building Inspections in writing.

How is a pool shell built for Abilene clay?

Rolling Plains clay around Abilene swells when it is wet and shrinks when it dries, and a pool shell is a rigid object sitting in it. The shell, its bond beam and the deck are designed for that movement, and the deck is graded so rain runs away from the pool and the house.

We plan pools and spas together with the deck, shade and kitchen as one project. On clay, ask how the steel in the shell is designed, how plumbing lines are protected where they leave the shell, and where the deck has joints. Ask for a soil report too, since soil changes from lot to lot.

Can a new pool be filled during water restrictions?

That depends on the City’s current drought stage. Abilene’s water comes from Lake Fort Phantom Hill, Hubbard Creek Lake and, by contract, Lake O.H. Ivie. The City’s conservation plan sets rules for adding water to pools at each stage, so check the stage before booking a fill date and put the fill plan in the contract.

Our post on backyard ideas for Abilene homes covers sod, irrigation and pool fill under the watering rules. Our Abilene page explains how a free design visit starts the plan.

Questions from Abilene homeowners

Usually yes. The City of Abilene ties the in-ground pool permit to a depth over 24 inches, a surface area over 250 square feet or a volume over 3,250 gallons. Building Inspections handles the application and schedules the inspections. Call the City before designing anything close to those limits.

The City’s pool sheet includes an owner-builder affidavit, and pools designed by a Texas-licensed architect or engineer are another exception to the contractor license rule. The permit, barrier, utility clearance and inspection rules still apply. Treat the exception as a legal door, not a recommendation.

No. The City’s Environmental Health FAQ says owners of residential pools and spas do not need a permit, but that refers to the health operating permit for public pools. A residential in-ground pool still needs the building permit through Building Inspections.

The deck drainage, the footings for a cover and the gas or power for a kitchen all cross the same ground as the pool plumbing. Planning them together means nobody cuts a finished deck later to run a line. Anything overhead near the water also needs anchoring for Abilene wind and hail.

More in Abilene: Patio Covers · Pergolas · Outdoor Kitchens · Patio Enclosures & Sunrooms · Hardscaping · all of Abilene