The ACT government has considered employing lifeguards at Canberra waterways to prevent drowning.
On Tuesday, the government responded to a coroner's report into the drownings of four people who died in 16 months.
This included a father who died trying to save his daughter.
Since that report, at least one other person has drowned in an ACT waterway.
Response to report
The government has considered having lifeguards and rescue equipment at dangerous swimming spots, Minister for Land Management Rebecca Vassarotti said.
In her report, coroner Paula Russell said available rescue equipment might have prevented the deaths.
However, she also said rescue equipment might be destroyed or vandalised.
She recommended the government discuss the need for flotation devices or ropes with Royal Life Saving Society Australia.
Ms Vassarotti said the government had considered the coronial report, a ten-year study into drowning and a safety assessment into the Cotter Reserve.
In response, it had run a water safety campaign, revised government websites and started to develop a drowning prevention plan.
"Implementing these changes over the summer was focused on areas that present the highest risk in our communities," Ms Vassarotti said in a statement tabled to the ACT Legislative Assembly.
These areas include the ACT section of the Murrumbidgee River and the Cotter Recreation Reserve downstream of the Cotter Dam.
"Already we have seen our 'Reduce your risk around waterways' campaign reach its target audience," the minister said.
These measures were part of an early-action plan and the government "will continue to closely monitor our waterways and website visits" to see if these strategies are effective, she said.
Drowning deaths
William Hooley, 48, died after trying to save his 11-year-old daughter Meredith at Tharwa Sandwash in December 2020.
Two months before, Najeeb Rafee died at the Cotter Bend.
He was a 23-year-old refugee from Afghanistan and university student.
Vietnamese tourist Dinh Ta Nguyen died in January 2022 when he tried to retrieve his fishing rod at Kambah Pool.
These four people were the subject of the coroner's report.
However, people have been caught in ACT waterways since.
A 23-year-old visiting Pakistani student, Shehryaar Abbasi, fell off a raft at the the Murrumbidgee River in November 2023.
ACT rescuers won a national award after saving a hiker from near certain death at Kambah Pool in September 2022.
