Older, high risk swimming pools first on council checklist

24 July 2018

Ipswich City Council will conduct a swimming pool inspection program targeting the more than 8000 pools within its local government area.

Heath, Security and Community Safety Committee Chairperson Cr Sheila Ireland said the aim of the program is to achieve compliance with safety requirements to reduce the likelihood of infants drowning.

One toddler drowning in Ipswich related to a pool fencing issue is one too many, said Cr Ireland.

“Educating pool owners on the safety requirements for swimming pools will be an important component of the compliance strategy to achieve success with this program,” she said.

“It is not practical for officers to inspect every swimming pool within Ipswich within a short time period, and reliance on responsible pool swimming owners doing the right thing will necessarily be a component of the program.”

Cr Ireland said the program will achieve the following outcomes:

- Illegal pools without building approval will be identified (using current data and aerial photography). The owners will obtain an approval or the pool will need to be decommissioned.

- Pools with non-compliant barriers will be identified and action taken to ensure compliance.

- The community will become more aware of the safety risks associated with swimming pools and the compliance requirements for them. Through an education process owners will be more likely to take the initiative to meet the safety requirements for swimming pools without council intervention.

- Where necessary, property owners will receive penalty infringement notices (e.g. if owners are given an enforcement notice but fail to make their pool safe without any reasonable excuse, or the owner is a repeat offender).

Cr Ireland said an initial trial in two suburbs will start in August, with an evaluation period and report back to council, then the full program commencing in October.

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