Long Summer days and holiday fun are just around the corner and if cooling off in a pop-up portable swimming pool is high on the list at your home, you'll want to make it safe for the whole family! You may be surprised to learn that any pool 300mm/30cm high or more may have to be fenced, just like a permanent pool.
Council's Manager Development Assessment & Regulation, Jon Shillito, explained that by law, portable pools and spas require the same security fencing as built-in or above ground pools if the height of the pool is 300mm or more. "This means that the pool must be enclosed by an Australian Standard approved child-resistant compliant fence or barrier," Jon explains.
If you don't take steps to secure your pool, you could incur a hefty penalty.
- $1,500 if there is no development consent
- $550 if the pool is not fenced
- $220 if the pool is not registered on the NSW Swimming Pool Register
- $110 if there is no Compliant CRP chart.
More importantly, you'll be putting young children around your home at risk of drowning.
Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in children aged 0-4 years of age.
Most deaths of children aged one to four occur in backyard swimming pools during the Summer months. Find out what you need to know to protect children around your pool here.
If your pool holds a capacity of more than 2000 litres, you'll also need to arrange a Council inspection before using it. As a guide, a pop-up pool that is over 2.5meters in length and can hold water to a depth of 300mm/30cm would require a certified fence.
"It's important to understand that the risk of drowning in portable pools and inflatable pools is just as significant as that in permanent pools. Tragically, drowning can occur silently and rapidly in just a few centimeters of water," Jon explains.
"We encourage families to become familiar with the Keep Watch program so that the whole family can safely enjoy pool time together this holiday season. Particularly if you have a pop-up pool in mind for a Christmas gift!"
For all the information you need to know about fencing your pool please head to our website.
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