Hume council has introduced a new way to inform residents about pool capacity on hot days through a traffic light system on social media posts.
The posts indicate whether the pool has space, or is at capacity with a temporary one-in-one-out restriction on entry.
Hume city services and living acting director Brooke Watson said there were a few occasions in December where there was a lockout on pool entry.
“A period of successive hot days … caused a surge in use which saw our centres reach capacity … requiring us to move to a one-in-one-out system,” she said.
“Local pools are necessarily subject to weather and public safety regulations, which require staff to make decisions that prioritise community safety.”
Ms Watson said the new system was put in place on social media to help residents decide where to go on hot days before they leave home.
A green icon means there is plenty of space at the pool, an orange icon means the pool is approaching lockout, and a red icon means the pool is at capacity with a temporary lockout in place.
Ms Watson said pools in Hume follow industry-standard regulations on entry and lifeguard to swimmer ratios
“We follow industry-standard lifeguard supervision ratios to ensure everyone is monitored safely, and we adjust these ratios when needed.”
Ms Watson said the council thanks the Hume community members for their patience in times of high demand.
Residents are encouraged to check social media channels before travelling and consider visiting centres showing green to make the most of a hot day.
