Pools & Spas
All pools and spas in the Town of Cambridge are required to have building approval and compliant safety barriers. Inflatable pools capable of holding over 300 mm of water also require approved safety barriers. All new pool and spa fences require building approval prior to installation.
Pool inspections
The Town of Cambridge is required by law to inspect pool and spa barriers for safety, with not more than four years between inspections. Authorised persons (pool inspectors) have a legal right of entry onto your property to conduct these inspections.
Royal Life Saving Society Western Australia (RLSSWA) is currently undertaking barrier inspections on behalf of the Town and will contact you directly to schedule an appointment.
If you have completed construction of a new private swimming pool or spa that has never been inspected before, contact Compliance Services on (08) 9347 6000 or via email to compliance@cambridge.wa.gov.au to arrange a pool inspection.
Filling of New Pools
All newly installed concrete pools must not be filled with water until the permanent barrier is inspected by the Town's authorised persons (pool inspectors) and deemed compliant.
New fibreglass pools need filling with partial water at installation time to allow settlement. Any newly installed fibreglass pool requires covering or temporary fencing until the permanent barrier is inspected by the Town's authorised persons (pool inspectors) and deemed compliant.
Please note that it is an offence to use a new swimming pool until the isolation fencing has been approved.
The inspection certificate along with the Notice of Completion (BA7) must be submitted to the Town of Cambridge within seven days of completion of the works by the person named as the builder on the building permit.
Building Commission Information
The Building Commission website contains information on:
- Guidelines for pools and spas installed before 1 May 2016
- Guidelines for pools and spas installed on or after 1 May 2016
- Design and construction guidelines for fencing, gates and fittings, latching devices, doors and windows
- Safety hints
- Sustainability tips
- Other important information.
To obtain further information regarding swimming pool and spa barriers please visit the Building Commission website.
Pool and spa safety barriers
Pools or spas installed on or after 1 May 2016 safety barriers must be compliant with the Building Regulations 2012, as amended, and the Australian Standard 1926.1 - 2012. A boundary barrier must be a minimum of 1.8m high if being used as part of the barrier.
Pools or spas installed on or after 5 November 2001 are required to have an isolation fence and there must be an approved fence or gate between any door and the pool or spa area.
No door is allowed to lead directly into the pool area.
Pools or spas installed before 5 November 2001 are required to restrict access from the house, neighbours and road. Doors are permitted to lead directly into the pool area but must be compliant with the Australian Standard 1926.1 - 1993.
All openable windows into the pool area where window sill is less than 1200mm above foothold or floor, windows cannot open more than 100mm or require security mesh as screening.
Handy tips for pool and spa safety at home
Here are some tips to keep your swimming pool or spa safe:
- Always close pool and spa gates
- Ensure the gate self-closes and self-latches from all positions (propping a gate open is against the law and may result in a fine)
- Remove all climbable items from the pool or spa fence.
You must ensure pool and spa barriers are maintained, but remember — there is no substitute for good supervision!
Swimming pool and spa removal
The minimum requirements for the safe removal of swimming pools and spas are that the entire pool/spa structure must be removed from the ground. A demolition application is not required for pools less than 40m2.
If you wish to build on the area where a below-ground pool or spa has been removed, you will need to get a compaction certificate from a licensed structural engineer as part of any proposed building permit application.
For all swimming pools and spas to be listed as removed, a swimming pool and spa removal form must be completed and submitted to the Town of Cambridge. Failure to lodge the removal form will result in ongoing annual inspection charges.
Contact the Town Health and Compliance Section on (08) 9347 6000 or mail@cambridge.wa.gov.au for more detailed information.