All spa and swimming pools, whether in or above-ground, are required by law to meet the requirements of the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987.
Changes may be coming to pool fencing rules, but Whanganui homeowners are being urged to ensure everyone is safe around swimming and spa pools.
Greg Hoobin, Whanganui District Council building team leader, said many people spend summer enjoying water-based activities but needed to be mindful of the dangers, even in
something as innocent as an inflatable paddling pool.
"The recent spate of drownings in New Zealand is a sobering reminder that reliance on education and adult supervision alone is not enough to protect our loved ones where water is involved," he said. "Children are naturally inquisitive and often drawn to water. The consequences of allowing a young child unsupervised access to a pool can be fatal."
He said all spa and swimming pools, whether in or above-ground, were required by law to meet the requirements of the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987. Planned changes to the law "will simplify some of the current rules and may reduce compliance costs. But until the new legislation is enacted - probably not until January, 2017 - pools must meet the current legal requirements".
Mr Hoobin said the act was designed to protect young children from drowning in unfenced pools, but poorly maintained fencing and gates increased the danger and allowed easy access to pool areas.
