DEADLY DITCH: Parents' drowning fears

LUCY CRAYMER
Hayden, Marcus and Jessica Moss are typical kids. They love to play, and if water's involved, it's even better. That's what makes a deep sediment pond in their backyard so dangerous.
The 50 metre long, two metre deep sediment pond is in a new development next door to the children's home, and their parents believe it is a deathtrap.
And while homeowners must fence their pools or be fined, the pond slips through a legal loophole, as it's not intended for wading or swimming.
But this does not prevent the Moss children, aged two, five and nine, from drowning if they fell in - the flimsy orange netting is hardly a deterrent to young children in pursuit of some wet-weather fun.
Mr Moss said he had already pulled the children out of the subdivision twice.
"It is right next to us and is a real hazard. For a residential area it is not acceptable.
"The pond would be at least four or five house sections long. All the walls are steep and it is basically quick sand at the bottom," he said.
Mr Moss said he thought if an adult fell into the water they would be up to their neck in mud.
At present there is a flexi orange fence surrounding the pond, which is about 800mm high - not the 1200mm, childproof fence required if it was classified by law as a swimming pool.
"I'd hate it if a kid drowned. And who is going to be held responsible? I wouldn't know how you would get a kid out of there if they fell in.
"They have spent millions of dollars on buying the land and are spending millions of dollars on developing it so they should be able to put up a fence," he said.
Tauranga firm Landsdale Development Limited spokesman Simon Cachemaille said he had contacted their consultants in Hastings yesterday to check on the fences to make "doublely sure" they were secure.
"As far as we were aware the fences were suitable," he said.