With summer fast approaching, Council is reminding people to keep young children safe around backyard swimming pools. 

The latest research from Royal Life Saving Australia found that 532 children aged four and under have drowned in the past 19 years. Swimming pools remain the leading location for child drownings, accounting for more than half of all deaths and most are caused by accidental falls.

Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan reminded residents to check the safety of their backyard pool.

“While we all love to take a dip on a hot summer day, we must ensure that children are safe at all times,” Mayor Regan said.

“Fortunately, there are a few simple steps pool owners can take today to prevent a tragic drowning.

“Please make sure your pool is safe and complies with the law, check your fence and gate, ensure you have a CPR chart clearly displayed – and most importantly, keep watch of your little ones at all times.”

There are 21,547 registered private pools on the Northern Beaches and Council’s compliance team inspects them whenever a complaint is received.

Complaints are often about broken or faulty latches on gates, gates that are propped open, climbable objects or vegetation near pool fences, low fence heights or missing CPR resuscitation charts.

Steps every pool owner must take:

  • Supervise children at all times
  • Register your pool through swimmingpoolregister.nsw.gov.au
  • For advice, engage a Council accredited or E1 accredited certifier to inspect the child resistant barrier of the pool
  • When selling or renting your property obtain a Compliance certificate from a Council accredited or E1 accredited certifier
  • Ensure child resistant barriers always comply with the relevant Australian Standard (AS1926) at the time of construction or alteration
  • Keep gates closed and ensure they are self-closing and self-latching
  • Remove any climbable objects away from pool barriers
  • Display CPR resuscitation charts near the pool
  • Take great care with electrical hazards such as portable pool pumps and filters
  • Regularly maintain child resistant barriers

For more information on keeping children safe around swimming pools visit Royal Life Saving Australia

To check if your pool is safe, use our handy self-assessment checklist

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