Tamworth Regional council to conduct post-COVID private pool safety crackdown

The coronavirus pandemic has put a hold on learn-to-swim lessons across the city, leaving many less safe around water than they should be.

Manager of compliance at Tamworth Regional Council Ross Briggs said council wants to make sure the city's private pools are safe, so kids live long enough to learn.

READ MORE:

The council launched the 'Spring into Pool Safety' campaign on Tuesday.

Council will soon start sending letters asking when staff should conduct inspections of home pools.

"If they don't want to let us in, then our powers under the legislation allow us to come in and do that inspection," he said.

If a home pool isn't up to scratch, council will first send an education letter, then give the homeowner time to rectify the problem before a reinspection. If the problem still isn't sorted out, they can undertake enforcement action.

Mr Briggs said swimming classes had been cancelled during the pandemic and as a result "the skills aren't there for a lot of children".

The skills shortfall is one of the reasons for the crackdown, he said.

"It doesn't take long at all [for something to go wrong]. You can be watching the kids in the backyard from the kitchen window, they're playing, you turn your back to get something out of the fridge and they're in and over the fence," he said.

"Children are pretty clever, if they want to get in they'll find a way. The fence isn't the only precaution, it's supervision and it's teaching your children to swim."

The inspections will be conducted annually from now on.

Mr Briggs encouraged locals to do their own spring check of their swimming pools.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: