Archive for May, 2011

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Officials in Massachusetts town decide against opening pool for summer

Friday, May 27th, 2011

Citing a number of maintenance issues and financial issues, a public pool in Amherst, Massachusetts, will remain closed this year, the Amherst Bulletin reports.

The War Memorial Pool won't be open to the public, as officials in Amherst said work needs to be conducted in areas surrounding the pool. Until this work is completed, officials stated proper leak detection measures cannot be conducted in the pool to ensure it's completely safe and can function properly.

"Until we sat down and thoroughly looked at all the obstacles, it wasn't as apparent what the barriers to opening the pool were," Amherst leisure services director Linda Chalfant told the newspaper.

She added one leak is known to exist on the edge of the swimming pool, and she suspects other issues with deteriorating filters and the pool's surface could also be problems.

The pool has remained closed for the previous two years due to maintenance issues and budget concerns, according to sources.

Posted in Pool Maintenance News | No Comments »

Two week delays in store for Illinois public pool thanks to leaks

Friday, May 27th, 2011

A pool leak at an Illinois park could be a sign of things to come for public facilities and homeowners nationwide this summer.

The opening of the Wilson Park public swimming pool in Granite City will be delayed for two weeks, according to Illinois Suburban Journals, as an underground water leak requires maintenance.

Wilson Park District director Dave Williams told the news source the pool leak was detected beneath the deck surrounding the pool during preparations for its opening for summer.

The leak could end up costing the park a considerable amount of money, as a number of summer programs and events had to be moved back due to the leak issues, the source states.

Earlier this year, a leak affected a pool at an Illinois public school. Reports say a swimming pool leak caused issues at Maine East High School in Park Ridge, as the water from the pool flooded a storage room, hallways and a locker room.

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Mississippi officials continue to press importance of water conservation

Friday, May 27th, 2011

Despite some recent rainy days in the area, Ocean Springs, Mississippi, officials are still urging residents to conserve as much water as possible this summer, as drought-like conditions are expected to hamper the state's water supply.

"We're asking people to be more conservative in watering their lawns" May Connie Moran told the news station WLOX.

An alarm is in place at the city's public works facility, which sounds off when Ocean Springs' water levels get too low. Moran told the station the alarm has gone off numerous times this spring.

Though some in the community may not think conserving water is necessary, as heavy rains hit the area recently, the station says many communities along the coast still have substantial rainfall deficits.

With drought-like conditions expected to be persistent throughout the summer, the threat of wildfires is likely to grow, the Mississippi Press reports, furthering the need for water conservation in the area this year.

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Environmental group tries to place blame for sewage leak

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

A nonprofit environmental organization called San Francisco Baykeeper won a ruling recently, which could lead to fines against the West Bay Sanitary District for spilling sewage into San Francisco Bay illegally, sources say.

The group states the WBSD unlawfully spilled more than 36,000 gallons of wastewater into the bay. According to the San Jose Mercury News, fines for these leaks could be up to $1 million. The spillage was said to have occurred between 2004 and 2009.

In addition to fines, SFB wants the sanitary district to fix its wastewater system, as pipe leaks have reportedly been the cause of some of the sewage spills.

"It's clear that not only are they liable, but that these spills illustrate a systemwide problem, and they will be made to fix the entire system," SFB executive director Deb Self told the paper.

Reports say the WBSD spent $3 million in pipe repairs last year, and an additional $3 million is set aside this year for pipeline repairs.

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Water, sewage infrastructure upgrades requested in South Carolina city

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

A number of residents in and around Columbia, South Carolina, want local officials to renovate or replace aging and failing water and wastewater systems which have been causing issues throughout the last few years, according to WIS-TV.

The news station reports many people in the area want the city to allocate funding for repairs for the infrastructure, which has caused issues such as leaks in recent years.

However, Columbia City Manager Steve Gantt told the station that the only source of funding available to the city is through water and sewage fees.

"If there was any other possibility that I could see to fund this additional $100 million bond issue that we need to do, I would certainly have brought that to council's attention," he said. "But right now, since the water and sewer fund is funded solely by fees that it charges towards water and sewer, that's the only place that we have to generate that revenue."

The EPA recently mandated Columbia update its sewer system sometime in the next few years. Nearly $50 million of the city's 2012 budget will be used for renovations, sources say.

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