With the high number of drownings this summer, the City's Emergency Management Services is looking at changing the by-laws regarding putting nets over pools.

The City's safety campaign character, Papa Q

IT may soon be a law for pool owners to put nets over their pools, in an attempt to save lives, especially during the hot summer months.

"The City's Emergency Management Services (EMS) has been dealing with a lot of incidents involving drownings around the city," says Nthatisi Modingoane, the City's spokesperson. "As a result, it is looking into putting forward a proposal to amend the existing EMS by-laws concerning swimming pools."

There is no by-law that deals specifically with securing both private and public swimming pools with nets.

"The EMS may look at putting in a clause in the by-laws that says all private swimming pools must be covered at certain or all times but all this will depend on a comprehensive public participation process," Modingoane adds.

The City's summer safety campaign focuses on water safety and taking precautions in the sun

He says the process is in its infancy and the City is consulting to set a date for public suggestions and opinions. It will then go to public participation.

According to the EMS, 55 people drowned in and around Johannesburg between 1 September and 14 February, in both public and private pools.

The proposals to amend the EMS by-laws are part of the City's broader summer safety campaign that is aimed at saving lives during summer. In an effort to pass on the safety message, especially to children, the City is conducting a safety campaign in swimming pools and shopping centres.

Papa Q, the character who is the friendly face of the campaign, toured the swimathon at Linden Pool on Friday, 16 February and will continue spreading the news about water safety, protection from the sun, and how to avoid the dangers of lightning.

"Ignorance often causes drowning," says EMS spokesperson Malcolm Midgley. "This year we have seen many drownings in rivers and lakes, often alcohol-related, where people ignore the dangers of the waters. We hope this safety campaign will address that."

Midgley says even people who know the rules have to be vigilant. "We had a very sad case this summer at a public pool where a father left his three-year-old child in a paddling pool and turned his back to go and swim in the bigger pool.

"In a few seconds the child followed and when the father turned back his child was at the bottom of the pool. There was not enough time for the lifeguard to do anything. This is one message we have to drive home this summer – that people have to watch children near water every single second."