Royal Life Saving WA and LIWA Aquatics celebrate 20 years of Watch Around Water program

Celebrating a legacy of water safety in aquatic facilities, LIWA Aquatics has joined with Royal Life Saving WA to mark the 20th anniversary of its Watch Around Water program.

The event held at Beatty Park brought together over 50 professionals from the aquatic industry to reflect on the program’s impact and renew the commitment to water safety as we head into another busy summer season.

Launched in 2004, Watch Around Water emerged as a response to preventable drowning tragedies. Its simple yet crucial guidelines - keeping children under five years within arm’s reach and actively supervising those under 10 years - have since become a national benchmark for water safety. This milestone anniversary served as a poignant reminder of the program’s enduring mission: fostering a shared responsibility between parents and lifeguards to keep public pools safe.

During the event, LIWA Aquatics President Dan Barber highlighted the program’s transformative influence on the aquatic industry, commenting “Watch Around Water exemplifies what we can achieve when the industry unites for a common cause.

“Beyond reducing drowning incidents, it has created a culture of vigilance and shared accountability, saving countless lives while enhancing the safety measures in our facilities.”

The gathering also featured heartfelt testimonials and discussions on how to address emerging challenges. With mobile devices and other distractions increasingly prevalent, the call to action is clear: parents must stay engaged and proactive in supervising their children at all times.

With high summer approaching, LIWA Aquatics and Royal Life Saving WA urge families to embrace the Watch Around Water guidelines in order to ensure pools remain places of fun, memories and, most importantly, safety.

Watch Around Water’s 20 year history is the subject of a feature in the latest issue of Australasian Leisure Management - number 165.

Subscribers and members of Australasian Leisure Management’s partner organisations will have received this issue in the leadup to the Christmas holidays. Subscribers can click here to view this issue.