POOL owners across the Port Macquarie-Hastings are being urged to make the most of an extension in time to register their backyard pools.
The State Government this week announced that “exceptionally high traffic” on the Swimming Pool Register had prevented some people from being able to meet the 29 October deadline. The deadline has now been extended until 19 November.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s development and environment director Matt Rogers has urged local residents to visit www.swimmingpoolregister.nsw.gov.au and register their pool if they haven’t done so already.
In line with a request from the Minister for Local Government, he confirmed that the council wouldn’t be issuing any fines prior to 19 November but warned that anyone who failed to register their pool before the new deadline would be leaving themselves open to fines of between $220 and $2200 (if the matter is referred to court).
At this stage it is still unknown exactly how many pools there are across the Port Macquarie-Hastings local government area but the council believes the number may be as high as 4000.
Mr Rogers said the Swimming Pool Register was a State Government initiative designed to reduce the number of children drowning in backyard swimming pools. He said the register would help councils and water safety agencies direct water safety and compliance information to pool owners.
According to Royal Life Saving, backyard swimming pools remain the most common location for drowning deaths in children under five years of age. In the past 10 years, 67 children under four years of age have drowned in NSW swimming pools alone.
When registering their pool, owners are required to provide their name, address, contact details, the type of pool and the approximate age of the pool. They also need to complete a self-assessment to determine if their pool fence meets the appropriate Australian standards.
Those people without internet access can use the computers at the council’s libraries at a cost of $2 per hour. Alternatively they can visit their nearest council office and the council will register the pool on their behalf for a small fee.
