Private Swimming Pools

Swimming Pool Safety

All pools in NSW must be registered on the NSW Swimming Pool Register.

Members of the pool register are provided with current information about NSW swimming pool legislation to make sure their pool remains safe.

The NSW Swimming Pool Register was introduced to help prevent backyard drownings, which claim the lives of 17 Australian toddlers on average each year. Research indicates that by increasing compliance with pool barrier requirements the rate of infant death by drowning could be reduced by up to 41 per cent.

How to Keep Your Pool Safe

Drowning is one of the major causes of death for NSW children under the age of five. Each year on average 10 children under five drown in backyard swimming pools and many more suffer brain damage and other serious injuries associated with near-drowning experiences. With an estimated 340,000 backyard swimming pools in NSW, swimming pool safety is an issue that affects the whole community.

There are many resources available for you to use to assist in keeping your pool safe:

Swimming Pool Inspection Program

All public pools associated with tourist/visitor accommodation sites and multi-occupancy dwellings with a swimming pool are inspected by Council every three years.  All other private swimming pools are inspected on a five year program. This program is structured as follows:

  • Those pools that Council does not have a record of approval for be inspected first;
  • Pools built prior to 1986 be inspected next; and
  • Pools built between 1986 and September 2008 be completed as the last part of the five year program.
  • Those pools that are less than five years old be exempt from the initial five year inspection program.

Council’s Fees and Charges details the fees that apply to these inspections.

Swimming Pool Compliance Certificate

You can apply to Council for a certificate that certifies that a swimming pool complies with the relevant requirements of the Swimming Pools Act 1992.  You can apply for a Swimming Pool Compliance Certificate using the Application for Certificates form.  This forms covers a number of certificates provided by Council so in part 2 of the form you will need to tick ‘Swimming Pool Compliance Certificate’.  A fee applies for this certificate.

Private swimming pools are inspected on request from owners who are selling or leasing, regardless of the age of the pool. All other private swimming pools are inspected on a five year program.