Pool

It's important to keep your pool and spa water clean, safe and sparkling to swim in. Disinfection and filtration kill harmful micro-organisms and remove body fats and oils.

Test your pool water three times a week. It's easy to do this with a reliable pool water test kit. Look for disinfection levels, pH and alkalinity.

Spa

Empty your spa water every one to two months. Or, you can replace 10 to 15% of the water weekly. It all depends on usage.

Always replace spa water if:

• the spa pool is used regularly or by a large number of people, and the disinfectant cannot be adjusted to recommended levels
• algae starts to grow on the surfaces
• the water becomes cloudy and cannot be easily cleaned

It's vital to keep your pool and spa clean to avoid health risks. As well as maintaining clean water, you can take steps to keep your pool clean and tidy.

As part of your regular pool and spa maintenance:

• remove litter
• vacuum the bottom of the pool to remove dirt and debris
• scrub the pool walls and surrounding areas
• clean the pump lint-pot and filter system
• repair damaged pool surfaces
• maintain pipes, filters, motors and electrical equipment
• have regular pool services
• use a pool cover when not in use to keep out dirt and leaves, and minimise water loss by evaporation

Read the manufacturer's instructions and always maintain your pool, as well as relevant chemicals, accordingly.

Failure to maintain your pool may place you in breach of the Environment Protection Water Quality policy.

If you own a swimming pool or spa, you are responsible for its safety. Drowning is the leading accidental cause of death in young children. Most accidents occur in private backyard pools.

All swimming or spa pools must have a continuous safety barrier maintained by the pool owner that restricts access by young children to the pool.

Fencing must be constructed in such a way to make sure that:

• the fence is an effective barrier to young children
• it is permanent
• young children can't crawl under or climb over it by using foot and hand holds
• it is at least 1.2 metres high

Any boundary fences used as part of the child-safety barrier must be at least 1.8 metres high on the side that faces the pool, with a 900 millimetres non-climbable zone at the top inside of the fence. Note that a boundary barrier may be climbable on the neighbour's side.

Gates to the pool area must:

• swing outward from the pool area
• be self-closing from any position
• be fitted with a latching device, out of reach of small children, at least 1.5 metres above ground level

Our Environmental Health Officers maintain the health and safety of our community and environment. They undertake regular inspections all public swimming pools located in our area to test water quality, and the safety of the surrounding facilities.