Published 28 August
A proposed Australian Standard that would, for the first time, set consistent water quality requirements for both public and residential swimming pools is now open for public comment.
Standards Australia has released Draft AS 3633 Residential and public pools - Water quality for public comment, with submissions open until 21 October 2026. The draft has been prepared by Standards Australia committee CS-061 and revises AS 3633-1989, a standard that has applied to private swimming pools only since it was published more than 35 years ago.
The proposed standard aims to reduce reliance on overseas guidance by providing a comprehensive solution designed by Australian experts for Australian conditions. Standards Australia describes it as more than an update to an existing document, positioning it as a framework for consistency in the way residential pools and aquatic facilities are designed, assessed and delivered.
Water quality requirements for public pools are currently set through a patchwork of state and territory regulations, codes of practice and overseas guidance. A single national standard developed for Australian conditions would provide operators, regulators and the community with greater clarity and consistency.
Royal Life Saving Society - Australia is supportive of measures that improve safety and health outcomes at public aquatic facilities, while recognising that water quality and treatment is not necessarily our area of expertise. Royal Life Saving encourages those with technical and operational knowledge in this field to engage directly with the consultation.
Aquatic facility owners and operators, local governments, health regulators, swim schools and pool owners are encouraged to read the draft closely and consider how its requirements would apply in practice, including water testing regimes, disinfection, record keeping and the response to contamination incidents. Feedback grounded in day-to-day operational experience will be critical to a workable final standard.
Have your say
Draft AS 3633:2026 Residential and public pools - Water quality is available for review and comment through the Standards Australia public comment portal at comment.standards.org.au. Public comment closes 21 October 2026.
