80-81 WORLD NEWS:SPN Master pages 18/5/09 17:12 Page 2
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APSP TARGET JOE BIDEN FOR HIS VIEWS
OF SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTION
President Joe Biden to re- middle and working classes.” potentially dangerous activities –
evaluate his remarks banning a Prohibiting states and such as cooling off in an
financial package to be used in municipalities from investing in unguarded lake or stream where
the construction and servicing swimming pool facilities is drowning and bacteria exposure
of swimming pools. particularly devastating now, as are more probable than a
The association says that many communities are working neighborhood pool.
community pools are assets that hard to bring their facilities into “Further clarification is
must be maintained to allow compliance with the federally needed on whether or not the
safe use by America’s families. mandated Virginia Graeme Obama administration is going
Failure to support public pools Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act to take pools away from
will result in the loss of for entrapment avoidance. working class families this
opportunity for families to Poorly maintained pools summer. An understanding is
engage in a healthy and expose families to health and needed as to what restrictions
enjoyable activity. safety risks. Notably, West Nile apply to states and
“Community pools and virus and Legionnaire’s disease municipalities wishing to use
playgrounds are an important are common health threats stimulus funds to maintain
part of American infrastructure associated with improperly valuable assets related to
and are deserving of federal maintained pools. Additionally, swimming and recreation. The
stimulus funding,” said Bill Weber, without a community pool pool industry employs about
President of APSP. “The impact available, children will not be 300,000 people nationwide.
United States trade organisation will most heavily affect those able to swim in a safe, supervised Many of these jobs could be in
Association of Pool & Spa getting hit the hardest during environment and may be forced jeopardy if public pool facilities
Professionals has urged Vice these tough economic times, the to engage in unhealthy and shut down,” says the APSP.
VICTORIA URGES THREE STEPS ON WATER SAVINGS
NEW AUDIT IN NEW
The Australian State of Victoria has launched the Water Neutral
Pool campaign to encourage and recognise the building of water-
ZEALAND TO ENSURE
friendly pools – which can even mean harvesting up to 6,000 litres
of water each year for use in the garden and around the home.
FENCING LAW IS WORKING
SPASA Victoria is calling on all pool owners to take three easy
steps to make their pools water-wise. General Manager Brendan Swimming pools in New Zealand are to be part of a three year
Watkins says the Water Neutral Pools programme can deliver rolling audit cycle to inspect every swimming or spa pool to ensure
environmental, economic and most importantly water savings. all pools are adequately fenced. There is a charge for these
“This is about setting a new standard in responsible pool inspections on a cost recovery basis.
ownership. Water Neutral Pools utilise both water harvesting and The government introduced The Fencing of Swimming Pools Act
water saving devices to minimise water use,” he says. “A Water in 1987 to make sure all pools were adequately fenced but the
Neutral Pool has a water tank to collect rainwater used to top up increasing number of deaths by drowning has led to new stricter
the pool, a cover to conserve water lost through evaporation and a audits to ensure new pools comply to the regulations.
backwash minimisation system to prevent excessive backwashing. The act applies to any swimming pool constructed, erected, or
“Each year a Water Neutral Pool can harvest thousands of litres installed when the pool contains more than 400mm of water and is
of water that can be reused around the garden and in the laundry.” filled or partly filled with water.
Well-known environmentalist and meteorologist Rob Gell assessed Under the Act every pool owner is required to register their
the Water Neutral Pool programme and participated in the swimming or spa pool with the Council. Furthermore, every owner
programme launch in April. Watkins urges SPASA members to get or person in control of a pool is required to ensure that the pool
behind this programme and promote the Water Neutral Pools complies with the requirements of this Act.
programme to consumers. He says they should work with consumers “The audit process should be looked upon as a warrant of
as they build a Water Neutral Pool or retrofit an existing pool to ensure fitness of the pool fencing and helps to ensure that the pool
compliance. He also suggests members register their own pools. can be enjoyed in a safe environment,” said enforcement
“Knowing that many SPASA members are proud pool owners, officer Alan Benson. “Nobody wants to see a young child
we are encouraging them to ‘put their best foot forward’ and drown needlessly.”
register their own Water Neutral Pool. It’s easy, because SPASA “While the local authority has the responsibility to check that
members have the ability to self-assess. swimming and spa pools are safely fenced – it’s the pool and spa
“All they have to do is complete the Certification Form telling owners themselves who should have the greatest incentive to
SPASA of the three vital features installed. Then SPASA will send a ensure this is so because it’s their children or neighbours’ children
free fence plaque and Certificate of Compliance.” who are most at risk if they get it wrong,” Mr Benson added.
80 swimming pool news JUNE 09 Digital edition available at www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
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