Tauranga pool owners are being given an opportunity to check the safety of their pool fencing before council inspections start next year.

This week Tauranga City Council is sending letters to 2500 known pool owners to advise them that pool fencing inspections will begin in 2016.

People are being warned to make sure their pool is up to scratch before council inspectors come knocking on their door. File photo.

Each letter will be accompanied by a checklist that pool owners can use to assess the safety of their pool fencing.

'Many people probably assume their pool fencing is safe, but there might be a few simple things that need to be addressed,” says environment monitoring manager Andrew McMath.

'The checklist is an easy tool that pool owners can use.”

Pool inspections will be carried out by suburb. Inspections will begin in February 2016 in areas of the city that have older, more established pools.

Not all pools will be inspected in the first year.

Preparation of the council's pool inspection program has coincided with the Building (Pools) Amendment Bill, which is proposed to take effect from January 1, 2017.

The bill would amend the Building Act 2004 and repeal the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987 (FOSPA).

Andrew says people shouldn't be concerned that FOSPA is proposed to be repealed.

'The existing pool fencing rules are not being dispensed with; they would just be housed in a different piece of legislation.

'Pool owners will still be required to ensure that their pools are safe, and local councils will still be required to inspect pool fencing. In fact, the requirement for us to inspect will be strengthened under the new bill.”

Information about the pool fencing rules can be found on the Tauranga City Council Website.