OWNERS must register their swimming pools and spas with Mornington Peninsula Shire by 1 June.
This is in line with tougher standards introduced by the state government to improve pool and spa barrier safety.
To ensure safe and compliant pool or spa barriers, owners must register their pool or spa; have the barrier checked by a qualified surveyor; undertake required works to make it compliant and then have their pool or spa barrier certified.
A one-off registration fee set by the state government is $79 for pools and spas built before 1 December 2019, and $31.80 for those built after that date.
The shire’s director planning and building David Bergin said the higher fee was for councils to undertake research for older pools and spas.
Once registered, owners will receive a letter from the shire confirming the next step: getting their pool or spa barrier checked by a qualified surveyor. The letter will also include details of when it was constructed and the due date for lodgement of the compliance certificate.
Owners will then be required to engage a registered building surveyor or building inspector to certify the compliance of their safety barrier every four years. The fee to lodge the Certificate of Compliance is $20.40.
Failing to register a swimming pool and/or spa with the shire is an offence under the Building Regulations 2018 and carries a penalty of $330.44.
For details and to register visit: mornpen.vic.gov.au/poolregister
First published in the Mornington News – 18 February 2020
