Between water restrictions, strict safety laws and new rules and regulations, the family barbeque by the pool may soon be a thing of the past.
Last week Local Government Minister Don Page announced that new laws mean homeowners in New South Wales will have to register their backyard pools within the next 12 months or risk fines up to $2200. By registering, pool owners will be agreeing that their pools are compliant with strict safety regulations and, going forward, random checks will be made to ensure pools comply with safety standards. Those that don’t will face fines of up to $5000.
Under the new system, homeowners selling or leasing their property will undergo pool checks by council inspectors or private certifiers and pools in hotels and apartment blocks will be checked every three years.
The tough new measures come after a seven-month review that was prompted by NSW clear overrepresentation in national backyard swimming pool statistics. Last year six children drowned in their family’s pools across the state and a further average of 36 children suffer permanent brain injuries from swimming pool accidents in NSW each year.
What do you think of the new laws? Are they too harsh?
