Importance of Aquatic Facilities

Pools provide a variety of health and lifestyle benefits for the community, including:

• Health and fitness services allowing people to enjoy the benefits of physical activity. • The provision of a safe and welcoming spaces, supporting social inclusion and a sense of connection for all members of the community. • Opportunities to participate for recreation, competition, or sport. • Community development that contributes to the development of social capital, helping to create links in a community. • Positive impacts on physical and mental wellbeing. • Water safety / education and water confidence programs that can reduce the incidence of drownings in the community. • Fostering community pride. • Providing climate change relief in extreme weather events.

Royal Life Saving Australia’s Report on the Total Annual Benefits of the Aquatic Industry in July 2021 found that the aquatic industry benefits the Australian community and found that the industry:

• Is a driver of economic activity throughout Australia, employing the equivalent of 33,600 full time employees and adding $2.8 billion to gross domestic product (GDP); • Is a generator of $2.5 billion in health benefits, ranging across a reduction in the burden of disease, improved mental health outcomes, reduced absenteeism, and reduced childhood drowning; and • Is a provider of $3.8 billion’s worth of social benefits such as: enhancing an individual’s leisure time or creating increased life satisfaction; by bringing people together; supporting more vulnerable groups; and supporting early learning.

It further found that the aquatic industry supports 33,600 FTE roles across Australia and there are approximately 333M visits to Australia public pools per year. There is social return on investment of $2.18 for every $1 spent on aquatic facility operations in regional Australia and 58% of all aquatic facilities are in regional Australia.

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