Knox pool and spa owners to register safety fences or face fine with new pool laws
Anyone with a pool or spa needs to read this. State Government laws are about to change and homeowners could be fined more than $1600 if they do not comply.
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Thousands of pool and spa owners across Knox could face fines of than $1600 unless they register them before the June deadline.
Councils are gearing up to enforce the statewide changes to laws governing pool safety barriers and fencing — and owners who don’t comply within six months could cop a hit to the hip pocket.
After registering, owners then have to organise and pay for their safety barriers to be inspected and certified, within one to three years — depending on the age of the pool.
The barrier must be inspected every four years and the certification lodged with the council.
It will cost homeowners $31.84 to register.
However, those who do not register could face an on-the-spot fine of $330 or a penalty of up to $1652.20.
Pools or spas deeper than 30cm must be registered, including relocatable swimming pools and spas built for more than three consecutive days, indoor pools, hot tubs and bathing or wading pools.
Small inflatable wading pools that do not require any assembly do not have to be registered, as well as the likes of fishponds or dams.
Knox Mayor Nicole Seymour said the new pool safety regulations had been designed to save lives, by creating cultural change in pool ownership.
“The council appreciates that this means increased obligations for the approximately 7000 pool and spa owners in Knox, but we support the crucial goal of reducing or preventing incidents of drowning on private property,” Cr Seymour said.
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According to Knox Council documents, officers have estimated the cost to ratepayers initially for the 2019-20 financial year will be $278,899, while expected fees and infringements should bring in $440,780.
There have been 27 recorded fatal drownings of young children in private swimming pools and spas in Victoria between January 2000 and May 2019.
The Coroner found that in 20 of those deaths, the safety barrier was non-compliant and consequently likely to have played a role.