The Fascinating Reason Behind Spraying Water on Olympic Diving Pools

It’s one of the most common questions during Olympic diving competitions.

WASHINGTON — Every four years, keen-eyed viewers notice something peculiar during the Olympic diving events: sprinklers spraying water onto the pool’s surface.

The water from these sprinklers isn’t meant to fill the pool. Its primary function is safety. FINA, the international federation that oversees water sports, mandates “mechanical surface agitation” to aid divers in visually perceiving the water’s surface.

According to FINA’s regulations from January 2024, if an underwater bubble machine can’t sufficiently agitate the water at low pressure, a horizontal water sprinkler system must be used.

Molly Carlson, a Canadian high diver and silver medalist in the women’s 20-meter event at the world championship, addressed this in a 2023 video. She explained that the sprayers help divers see where they will land, which is crucial for adjusting their dives properly.

As for the temperature of diving pools, FINA sets specific standards. For Olympic and World Aquatics Championships, diving pools must be at least 26 degrees Celsius or 78.8 degrees Fahrenheit. In general, water temperatures for indoor swimming competitions should range between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius or 77° to 82.4° Fahrenheit.