How do I decommission my pool or spa?
A property owner will need to satisfy Council that their swimming pool/spa no longer exists or is no longer capable of containing water to a depth of greater than 300mm.
This may be done by undertaking one of the decommissioning options detailed below to restrict the swimming pool/spa is no longer capable of containing water to a depth of greater than 300mm.
Once Council receives this information an inspection of the property will be required to confirm the removal or decommissioning of the swimming pool and/or spa.
What constitutes decommissioning?
To decommission your swimming pool or spa, you need to remove aspects that make the structure a swimming pool or spa, such as:
- complete removal of the swimming pool or spa
- remove its ability to contain water to a depth of greater than 300mm
- remove its access, such as access ladders
- remove any filtration system
- fill the excavation area with clean soil endemic to the site and compacted in layers (It is strongly recommended you obtain written advice from an engineer prior to undertaking the decommissioning of the pool/spa in order to determine which fill material should be used based on the site and soil conditions on your property).
Relocatable pools, above ground pools and spas
- To decommission a relocatable/above ground pool it must be completely dismantled and removed.
- To decommission an above ground spa, it must be completely removed.
Inground swimming pools/spas
Option 1 – Complete removal of inground pool/spa
Where the pool/spa is located within 2m of the boundary, or another building
A demolition permit to demolish the pool/spa is required to be obtained where the pool/spa is located within 2m of a boundary or another building as its demolition may have an adverse effect on adjoining properties and/or buildings.
Where the pool/spa is located greater than 2m from the boundary, or another building
Once the pool/spa has been removed, the excavation will need to be backfilled with appropriate soil for the site (as determined by a geotechnical or structural engineer) and compacted in layers with a maximum depth of 300mm (or as determined by an engineer taking site conditions into account).
Option 2 - Inground pool/spa left in situ and buried
- Cut at least two holes at least 500 mm x 500 mm in the deep end of the pool/spa
- Remove debris from cut outs
- Remove filtration system and access ladders
- Fill the pool excavation with appropriate back-fill material compacted in layers with a maximum depth of 300mm (or as determined by an engineer taking site conditions into account).
It is strongly recommended you obtain written advice from an engineer prior to undertaking the decommissioning of the pool/spa to determine which fill material should be used based on the site and soil conditions on your property.
You will be required to keep Council informed as to how you are to decommission your swimming pool or spa. This will require photos and may also require inspections at certain stages of the decommissioning of your swimming pool or spa.
Note: Decommissioning in-ground or permanent swimming pools/spas that remain in situ can be problematic if any future construction and/or re-development is proposed on the site in the future.
In some areas, impervious soil types or high ground and perched water tables may make holing pools problematic and advice from a suitably qualified structural or hydraulic engineer may be needed to see if this is a viable option.
Any demolition material is to be removed from site and taken to an approved disposal site.