The urgency of learning to swim in the face of today's public swimming pool obstacles

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In France, over 1,000 people drown each year. To stem this tide, the State has set a clear objective: that every child should know how to swim by the time they enter 6th grade. Yet, 50% of them still do not reach this level. The role of local authorities is therefore crucial: they are responsible for swimming facilities and, as such, must provide access to this aquatic proficiency training.

However, they face an alarming reality: aquatic infrastructure is dilapidated, unevenly distributed, and insufficient to meet demand.

The paradox is striking.

On one hand, an essential public service mission; on the other, often obsolete facilities, large-scale projects that sometimes take more than one term of office to complete, and inadequate legal frameworks.

Too many areas, especially rural or peri-urban ones, simply do not have facilities to accommodate students.

Worse still: solutions exist, such as industrialized and optimized models like "Aqualib," "Essentielles," or "Eaulistic." But local authorities cannot access them. The Public Procurement Code, designed to regulate public purchases, effectively prohibits the acquisition of these innovative facilities, even though they are perfectly suited to the needs of certain areas where the level of urgency is absolute.

I must emphasize that these models should not be systematically adopted: each area has its specific characteristics, and each local authority must be free to choose its approach, according to its priorities, resources, and level of urgency. Both "models" and "prototypes" represent tools that local authorities should be free to choose.

It's time to change the rules.

Local authorities must have flexible and secure tools to renovate or build quickly, with real budgetary efficiency.

Rethinking the law to support elected officials in their educational and prevention mission is to address a social and territorial emergency: to guarantee every child, throughout France, the right to know how to swim.

I understand that this issue may not be the most urgent compared to pensions or national defense. However, it concerns our children, our legacy, our heritage. This cause seems noble and paramount to me. Let's not forget that swimming pools are the only public civic facilities that affect and concern 100% of the age pyramid.

We will discuss this crucial topic at the next Pool of Tomorrow conference, which will take place on October 14 in Chartres.

Please join us!

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Author: Anthony MARTINEZ

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