Did you see they just moved this up to 6' minimum?
Cool, now you can put your TV right on the pool coping for easy channel changes without getting out of the water ...

but be sure you keep those Malibu lights 5' away!

Betcha they changed it because of a TV or other electric item comes with a 6ft cord . And its for dwelling units only. They Know there gonna put something there anyway so it won't have and extension cord and still be on GFI.
one mans opnion.

Rope light also comes with a 6' cord.

Greg:

I think (hope) that this is a 'typo'!!

680.22(A)(3) reads 6 feet; I just checked my copy of the 2008 NEC.

The commentary in the ROP says that it was done to correlate with the standard 6' appliance cord.

Yup, you want to be sure the swimmers can reach that TV without getting out of the pool.
Pure insanity.
I thought the original 10' was so you COULDN'T reach the radio from the pool but it was still close enough to hear.

OK, now that you cleared that up...still don't sound right!

I thought that was the point as well.

I don't have the copy of the 2008 yet. I do a lot of pools. Are you saying the 2008 says you can have the outlets 6 ft. now instead of the 10 ft. as was required??
Wow, and I thought the code was for our safety. Thanks, Steve..

Greg,

You can move the pool receptacle closer than 10', but you need TP receptacles in a house for safety. Does this really make sense?