BACKYARD swimming pools that do not meet safety standards because they were built before the 1992 Swimming Pool Act should be compulsorily upgraded when the property is sold, the Royal Life Saving Society says.

This would catch pools that have never been inspected by authorities, and improve the safety of pools that have not been maintained, Richard Franklin, the society's national manager for research and health promotion, said yesterday.

"We would also like to see councils taking on regular inspection programs to ensure those pools meet the requirements," Mr Franklin said.

The society said safety inspections should not be limited to new swimming pools and that the State Government should enforce inspections on existing pools as soon as possible.

It said non-compulsory backyard swimming pool inspections by councils could lead to more toddler drownings in NSW, after the death of a third toddler, Harry Connors, 2, in a backyard pool in the past week.

"You have the power as a parent to get in and be able to make a difference, but we are calling on the local government as well because we think it's a community initiative to get in and prevent children drowning in backyard pools," Mr Franklin said.

Backyard pools were the most common location for drownings of children aged under five, he said.

"I don't think it's a freak accident; I don't think it's negligence. I think it's that the fence blends into the background and people don't think about needing to maintain it. The weakest part of the fence is the gate, and that's really how a lot of kids get into the pool area."

The chief executive of Swim Australia, Ross Gage, said lives were also at risk because there were not enough places at swimming classes.

"It's got harder and harder each year," he said.

A spokeswoman for the Minister for Local Government, Barbara Perry, said provisions on inspections and on penalties for non-compliance with fencing regulations were being examined in a review of the Swimming Pools Act.

The review is expected to be completed in the first half of next year.