Government regulation

[Shimdidly]

The other day I was thinking about the kind of pool I'd want to build in my back yard some day. Knowing that there are state regulations on a little bit of everything in construction, I googled some Utah pool regulations, and here's what I found:

http://www.rules.utah.gov/publicat/code ... 92-302.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The pool shell surface must be of a white or light pastel color.

The horizontal slope of the floor of any portion of a pool having a water depth greater than 5 feet, 1.52 meters, must be uniform, must allow complete drainage and may not exceed a ratio of 1 to 3 except for a pool used exclusively for scuba diving training.

A spa pool may not exceed a maximum water depth of 4 feet, 1.22 meters. The department may grant exceptions to the maximum depth requirement for a spa pool designed for special purposes, such as instruction, treatment, or therapy.

Wouldn't it be better to let individuals, businesses, and consumers decide for themselves what is the right slope for the pool, the depth, and ... what the heck ... the color?! We are also at the mercy of the health department to grant exceptions. The rationale behind that is they know better than we do, of course. I used to wonder as a kid, why everything looked the same. I thought that when I got older, I'd build the first swimming pool with underwater tunnels, steep slopes, and interesting colors. The government won't let people do something that is original, or a leap forward. Is this all in the name of safety?

[Samuel the Lamanite]

Shim: Over the years, I've found that Utah has some of the most intrusive regulations and very high taxes. It is NOT a low cost of living state yet the pay levels are way below normal. And this is a solidly GOP state. IMO, many Mormon owners and managers exploit their workers.