Overview
Council endorsed the public exhibition of the draft Swimming Pool Safety Policy (POL 049) at its Monday 25 August Ordinary Council meeting.
Public exhibition is for a period of 28 days from 26 August until 22 September 2025, with submissions being accepted until 6 October 2025.
About the Policy
Changes to the policy include:
- Clarification of the role of Council in swimming pool compliance.
- Amendments to ensure the policy correctly references current legislation and standards, including specific provisions in relation to barrier heights, setbacks, etc.
- Clarification of water disposal and backwash requirements in areas where sewer is not available.
- Clarification of the requirement for approvals to be obtained for new swimming pools (including barriers) and associated structures such as decks and privacy screens, including the necessity to obtain an occupation certificate and to register the pool prior to any use.
The amended policy also provides clarity on upgrade requirements for older pools in relation to current regulations and standards where required. Where a barrier is subject to a previous standard, documentary evidence that the barrier was compliant with the earlier applicable standard, immediately before commencement of the newer provisions, is required. If the barrier has been modified or changed, any previous exemptions no longer apply, and the barrier must comply with the Swimming Pools Act 1992, Swimming Pools Regulation 2018, and Australian Standard AS1926.1-2012. In this case, the barrier must be upgraded to meet the 2012 standard before Council can issue a compliance certificate.
Additional provisions cover requirements for decks, privacy screens, spa pools, indoor and aboveground pools, noise control, egress, safety signage, and chemical storage.
The draft policy, with all proposed amendments shown as tracked changes, can be viewed below.
