A new Royal Life Saving Society – Australia report has found that up to 40% of council-owned public aquatic facilities will need serious refurbishment or outright replacement in the next decade, at a cost of more than $8 billion.
The State of Aquatic Facility Infrastructure in Australia – Rebuilding our Aging Public Swimming Pools report found that significant investment is required to replace, renew or upgrade pools nearing the end of their useful life.
The research found that:
– The average life expectancy of a pool is 50 years;
– The average Australian public pool was built in 1968;
– 500 (40%) of public pools will reach the end of their functional lifespan by 2030;
– $8 billion is needed to replace those 500 ageing public pools;
– A further $3 billion will be needed to replace facilities ending their lifespan by 2035.
The social health and economic cost of not replacing even 10% of aquatic facilities by the end of this decade could approach $1 billion per year according to multipliers from previous research by PricewaterhouseCoopers and Royal Life Saving, the Society said in a statement today.
Royal Life Saving National Manager – Aquatics, RJ Houston said that while the health, social and economic benefits of swimming pools were clear, some community pools were no longer operational or safe to remain open.
“Even a basic outdoor swimming pool can cost $10 million to replace in 2022 due to rising costs of labour and materials,” said Mr Houston.
“Local governments are the primary funder of aquatic facilities and are under extraordinary budgetary pressure currently, so the way in which public pools are funded and maintained needs re-examined systematically and across all layers of government.
“Regional and inland communities are the most affected. Most coastal communities and city areas benefit from strong public and private aquatic infrastructure, as well as social infrastructure like lifesaving clubs and patrolled beaches.
“Many regional councils struggle to afford to maintain or replace swimming pools, and increasingly councils are considering closing their pools,” he said.
This report follows a 25-year high in the Royal Life Saving National Drowning Toll for the last financial year, with 339 people losing their lives to drowning.
“In light of the historically high drowning deaths, the generation of kids at risk of missing out on swimming, and water safety and this new research about the state of aquatic facility infrastructure, it really is a perfect storm,” Mr Houston said.
It is unlikely that a straight ‘like-for-like’ replacement of all ageing aquatic facilities will or should take place, he said.
The report includes recommendations to rethink the approach to the provision of aquatic facilities to ensure that the community can continue to access these into the future.
As well as boosting funding, State and Federal governments need to review how funds are allocated to ensure equitable and universal access to community pools across Australia, Mr Houston said.
The full report is available here.
Royal Life Saving Society – Australia’s research, education and advocacy work in drowning prevention and water safety is supported by the Australian Government.
