Campbelltown City Council has been recognised as a leader in pool safety.
The council’s swimming pool safety program has won the Water Safety Initiative of the Year by a Council category at the 2015 Water Safety Awards of Excellence.
The award recognises council initiatives to reduce drowning and near drowning incidents in backyard swimming pools.
In recognition of council’s standing as an industry leader, it has been invited by the Office of Local Government to assist with the development of industry guidelines in the review of current legislation.
Council’s highly regarded program focuses on community education, raises awareness of the importance of backyard swimming pool safety, and is effectively underpinned by a proactive pool inspection program, ensuring that pool barriers comply with legislative requirements.
Council completed more than 2500 inspections over less than two years, from December 2013 to August 2015, and brought 461 swimming pool barriers into compliance.
Part of the success of the program was the innovative street by street approach that council employed to encourage community participation and information sharing.
This approach led to a more efficient compliance process, with less follow-up inspections and more properties visited.
Pool safety information stalls at community festivals and local shopping centres reinforced the safety message.
Council also utilised its community newsletter, mailed to every residential property in the local government area, to inform residents on pool safety, fencing standards and the requirements of the Swimming Pools Act amendments.
The NSW Government’s Swimming Pool Register currently has 7,792 swimming pools on record within the Campbelltown local government area.
However, despite the number of known pools on record, it is estimated that there is likely to be in excess of 11,000 swimming pools across the area, due to a high presence of unauthorised and portable style swimming pools.
Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr Paul Hawker, congratulated the pool safety compliance team on winning the award and helping to prevent drowning and near drowning incidents.
“The objective is to encourage owners to complete regular maintenance checks of their pool barriers, as well as reinforce the importance of supervising young children around backyard swimming pools,” Cr Hawker said.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“As summer approaches we all have to be vigilant to ensure our children are safe.[/social_quote]
“Backyard swimming pools account for the largest number of drowning deaths in children under the age of five, and many more suffer serious injuries associated with near drowning experiences.
“Preventing young children from drowning in swimming pools requires a combination of approaches.
“While legislation legally requires pool owners to provide a suitable barrier, supervision of children is critical to ensure tragic accidents are prevented,” Cr Hawker said.
For more information about pool safety, visit the council swimming pools website.
