With the summer holidays nearing, Maitland City Council is reminding residents that any pool capable of being filled to a depth of 300mm or more, including above ground, portable or inflatable pools, are required to be fenced in accordance with the legislation.
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One in five instances where a child drowns in a swimming pools takes place in a portable or inflatable pool.
Maitland City Council's Manager Development and Compliance Cindy Littlewood said inflatable swimming pools are increasing in popularity due to their easy set up, low cost and affordability, but they have the same drowning hazards as a permanent pool and in some cases, by law, need to be fenced.
"The general public is often unaware of the safety requirements as places where they would buy an inflatable or portable pool may not also sell fencing," she said.
All swimming pools, including portable and transportable pools, are required by law to be registered on the state swimming pool register.
The responsibility is on the owner to register their pool online through the NSW Swimming Pool Register at swimmingpoolregister.nsw.gov.au
Royal Life Saving is also reminding all parents and carers of the vital importance of adult supervision at all times when children are around water.
Drowning is often quick and silent and can easily happen while parents are distracted by everyday chores around the home.
Any distraction is dangerous and can put young children at risk around water. It is never worth taking the risk.
Research shows that, over the past 18 years, 507 children aged 0 to 4 years drowned. Of these, 207 (41%) were aged one year.
The risk of drowning triples as soon as a child starts to crawl. It peaks shortly after a child's first birthday, just as they start to become more mobile.
Royal Life Saving's new Keep Watch Campaign kicks off in time for summer to remind parents and carers about the risks of child drowning.
Royal Life Saving is asking all parents and carers to Supervise, Restrict, Teach and Respond to keep children safe. Supervise your children at all times around water. Restrict their access to water with a correctly installed and regularly maintained pool fence. Teach them water safety skills. Know how to respond in an emergency by learning CPR skills.
Council is also running its Holiday Splash Program at Maitland pool:
. Week One - 4.01.21 - 8.01.21 (five day intensive program)
. Week Two - 11.01.21 - 15.01.21 (five day Intensive program)
. Week Three - 18.01.21 - 22.01.21 (five day Intensive program)
You can book one, two or three weeks consecutively.
Contact Maitland Aquatics on 02 4933 5073 or learntoswim@maitland.nsw.gov.au for more details.
