Who would have thought that something bad could happen in a small water garden? But by taking a few precautions, you can make sure that everyone, including your goldfish, stays safe in your magical water garden. Remember that if your water garden is deep enough for goldfish or koi, it is more than deep enough to be dangerous for toddlers.
Here are a few things to think about:
How deep your pond is:
You can make the area around the water pond safer by using the edges of the pond. Put a shelf or ledge around the edge of your pond that is at least 1 foot deep so that a child who falls in can get out more easily. You might also want to put rocks around the sides, which will give the child more leverage to pull themselves out.
Keep an eye on your kids:
Never leave young children alone near your water garden pond, just like you wouldn't let them swim without a lifeguard or an adult watching. Even though the fish will be interesting, don't let them get too close to the edge to get a better look. This could cause them to fall in, hit their heads on the edge of the pond, or even drown. In less than 6 inches of water, a child can drown.
Cut down on the slipping factor.
You can take steps to make sure your pond is safe, just like your local pool does, like making sure people don't run around. Smooth edges around your water pond could be dangerous, so you might want to use a material that won't let people slip. You might also want to build railings along the paths. Ask your local building authority what you can do to make the edge of your water garden less likely to cause someone to fall.
Building codes in your area
During the planning stages of building your water pond, you should have talked to your local building authority to make sure that your plans follow the local building codes. Should you build a fence around your pond? (ponds built with a certain depth require fences). How big can your water garden pond be, and what other legal things do you need to think about?
When building a water garden pond, safety isn't usually the first thing that comes to mind. However, it should be. It's impossible to make sure that your water garden is completely safe, but if something were to happen, would that make up for the fact that you did nothing? If you plan ahead, your water garden will be easy to get to and fun for friends and family.
