Maroondah property owners will now have until 1 November 2020 to register all pools and spas with Council - an extension of five months from the original 1 June deadline.
Due to the ongoing changes and impacts on the community resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Victorian Government has extended the mandatory registration of private pools and spas and the dates by which certification of safety barriers must be provided to Council.
Changes to the existing laws will take effect from 26 May 2020.
You can register your pool or spa with Council via our online portal
Under the revised dates
- Existing pools and spas must be registered by 1 November 2020
- Pools and spas constructed on or before 30 June 1994 must be certified by 1 November 2021
- Pools and spas constructed on or after 1 July 1994 but before 1 May 2010 must be certified by 1 November 2022.
- Pools and spas constructed on or after 1 May 2010 but before 1 June 2020 must be certified by 1 November 2023.
- New swimming pools or spas constructed after November 2020 must be registered within 30 days of receiving the relevant Occupancy Permit or Certificate of Final Inspection.
Any swimming pool or spa that can hold water to a depth of greater than 30cm and is used, designed, manufactured or adapted to be principally used for swimming, wading, paddling, including a bathing or wading pool, or spa, must be registered with Council.
New laws introduced on 1 December 2019 by the Victorian Government requires mandatory registration of all pools and spas.
Under the regulatory changes, owners are also required to have their pool and spa barriers inspected and certified by a registered building surveyor or a registered building inspector every four years.
Maroondah Mayor, Councillor Mike Symon, said that while the new regulations came into force on 1 December 2019, implementation was staged to give owners and councils time to adjust to the new requirements.
"The Victorian Government has determined that local councils are best placed to maintain the register of pools and spas and undertake the administration of these new regulations," Cr Symon said.
"Once registration is lodged, Council will inform owners of the date by which they must organise their first inspection and certification of their pool or spa barrier. This will be determined by the age of the pool or spa, with older pools/spas to be given priority for inspection," he said.
"It will be the responsibility of the owner to provide certification to Council every four years from a registered building surveyor or registered building inspector, certifying that their pool or spa safety barriers are compliant," Cr Symon added.
If the inspection finds the barrier is non-compliant, the owner has up to 60 days to bring it up to code.
The cost to register a pool or spa with Maroondah City Council is $79. The cost to lodge a certificate of compliance is $20.40.
"While pool and spa barriers can be effective in reducing the risk of drowning incidents, evidence suggests that a large number of drowning deaths are the result of barriers that are faulty, or non-compliant with Australian standards," Cr Symon said.
"Owners of properties with a swimming pool or spa, including landlords, have a legal obligation to ensure they maintain safety barriers to reduce the risk of unsupervised children gaining access," he said.
Council will maintain a register of swimming pools and spas within the municipality through owner registrations, existing Council records and aerial photography to ensure the database is up-to-date.
The cost of registration and lodging the certificates with Council are set by the Victorian Government.
