Child proof butler sink pond

[serenhybrid]

Hi! I have a double butler sink where I have planted out one half and made the other half into a tiny pond. The whole sink is on wooden posts, so raised well off the ground, and the pond surface doesn't come right to the top so there's a lip. It's in a raised bed planting area so not easily accessible. The water depth is 30 cm. I am planning to adopt and my social worker has asked me to cover the pond. I am planning to have 3 to 5 year olds. My question is 1. Do I even need to cover the pond, as they can't fall into it? And 2, if I do have to cover it, what is the best way? It's well off the ground so I can't just peg netting over the whole thing. It has very smooth sides so it would be difficult to attach anything to the edge. Has anyone done anything similar?

 

[combatwombat]

That's funny. Did they ask you to cover your sinks and toilet's in the house, too? I would just cover it with some plywood and maybe a few bricks on top for the day when the social worker is coming round and, once the adoption process is complete, uncover it for good.

 

[GBBUDD]

yea i have met too many social workers not one of them had a child of there own. like cw said a piece of plywood

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

OK, I give up…..what is a double butlers sink? It sounds interesting…..please post pictures! Is there any way you could put up a cute little fence around the garden that would be “little-proof?” The question I ask is, do you want to take the chance as far as safety goes, or are you only interested in “foiling the system?” Drowning is a real danger, not to mention that kiddos can pull things over in a heartbeat!

Just my 2 cents (or whatever is the UK equivalent — do you guys even use that expression?).

 

[Lisak1]

People do worry about ponds, but like @combatwombat said - anyone who's had kids is aware they can drown in toilets, tubs, buckets...

If you truly want this to work though I'd suggest you decide which is more important - the garden or the kids. Maybe change up the pond a bit so both sides of the sink are planted and the danger appears to be abated.

@Mmathis a butler sink has no overflow, so as not to waste water. Pretty sure this is more of a UK designation.

 

[j.w]

Hello and welcome!

OK, I give up…..what is a double butlers sink? It sounds interesting…..please post pictures! Is there any way you could put up a cute little fence around the garden that would be “little-proof?” The question I ask is, do you want to take the chance as far as safety goes, or are you only interested in “foiling the system?” Drowning is a real danger, not to mention that kiddos can pull things over in a heartbeat!

Just my 2 cents (or whatever is the UK equivalent — do you guys even use that expression?).

Something like this prolly but one side filled w/water and the other side the garden and up on legs. I can see little ones being attracted to it but not sure it will be a real hazard. To be safe maybe a heavy metal screen over the water side?

 

[j.w]

@serenhybrid

 

[serenhybrid]

Something like this prolly but one side filled w/water and the other side the garden and up on legs. I can see little ones being attracted to it but not sure it will be a real hazard. To be safe maybe a heavy metal screen over the water side?

View attachment 160431

This is very close! I'll post a picture elsewhere.

 

[serenhybrid]

Thank you to everyone for replying! This is the sink. It has plants in so unfortunately I can't just put wood or bricks over it, or a metal screen without cutting holes for the plants somehow. I'm honestly thinking of just giving up on it as it's constantly covered in algae, even with a solar fountain in there, and it's just not very pretty!

 

[combatwombat]

What on Earth is their concern?

 

[GBBUDD]

So glad I never had to deal with those people . I'm in total agreement with Cw. What's the concern. And I know my wife would have my head because I would probably dunk the social workers head into that and see if they were right and someone could drown in it or not.

 

[Lisak1]

Good grief. Again - I hope they’re ok with the actual sinks and toilets inside your house…

 

[Mmathis]

@serenhybrid Wow, that one on the left so reminds me of a boggish-type planting area! Could you put a gravel or peaty substrate in there, and just adapt it to accommodate that type of plant? Then “water depth” wouldn’t be an issue.

 

[Phaewryn]

Thank you to everyone for replying! This is the sink. It has plants in so unfortunately I can't just put wood or bricks over it, or a metal screen without cutting holes for the plants somehow. I'm honestly thinking of just giving up on it as it's constantly covered in algae, even with a solar fountain in there, and it's just not very pretty!

I'd go with chicken wire. Just get a piece big enough to cover the whole thing and wrap down over the sides, then use some zip ties to close it under the bottom if it's raised (or stakes if it's on the ground). Trim the plants back and they will regrow back up through the wire as chicken wire has pretty big holes.