Safety: Top tips for paddling and pools

With the summer school holidays in full swing and the predicted warm weather on the way, many children will be eager to start splashing about in their paddling pools.

It’s a great way to keep cool in the hot days ahead, but Veolia Water wants to remind customers to be water-wise, and safe, while having fun.

With the growing trend for semi-permanent pools, the water company wants to make sure they are used properly to ensure the quality of water in them is kept at a high level so the water you’re using lasts longer.

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In light of the recent dry weather conditions, the company is keen to encourage customers to be mindful of using water wisely, even in the pool!

Advice for a safe and fun summer with water:

> Follow manufacturer’s instructions on how to keep garden pools clean – it is essential to ensure the quality of the water is kept high to avoid the spreading of germs

> Once you’ve filled your paddling pool, try to keep it topped up - don’t throw away the water and re-fill it each day. If the pool water does get dirty and you need to re-fill it, use the old water for your garden plants

> If you’ve used chemicals to keep your pool clean, you can’t pour it onto the ground or use it to water your plants because it will damage them

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> Make sure someone has an eye on the kids when they are near water – a child can drown in less than 20 seconds in as little as four centimetres of water (enough to cover the nose and mouth). Never leave children unsupervised near water

> If your pool has a cover make sure it is fitted correctly and consider the danger if a child climbed on top of it

> As for larger garden pools, Veolia managing director Richard Bienfait says: “Please consider your neighbours before you start using large amounts of water. Some garden pools can hold 12,000 litres of water – that’s enough to fill your bath more than 150 times.

“At the height of the summer, using large volumes of water can reduce the supply of water to your neighbours, leading to lower water pressure. If you do need to fill a pool we would recommend avoiding the peak demand times of 7am to 10am and 4pm to 9pm.

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It is important to remember that if you have a swimming pool you should have a water meter installed. Customers who use sprinklers or items that contain over 10,000 litres of water are obliged to have a water meter fitted and Veolia Water can install them for free,

It is an offence to use a sprinkler if you don’t have a water meter and this could carry a fine of up to £1000.