A wet and rainy summer at Freedom Springs Greenwood Aquatics Park brought a few unexpected issues in maintaining the pool.
The city had to treat the pool water to balance the chemicals twice this summer when rain caused the chemical levels in the pool water to become off-balanced.
Heavy rain on multiple occasions in June and July caused the chemical imbalance in the water, Parks and Recreation director Rob Taggart said.
A storm in June also blew straw from nearby Freedom Park into the pool, causing the lazy river to back up and overflow after heavy rain fell and the straw had blocked a drain, Taggart said.
The parks department had to drain and refill the lazy river, and the lap pool had to be partially drained due to rain that changed the chemical levels, Taggart said.
Most of the issues were unforeseen or unexpected, Taggart said.
Chemical treatment to the water is standard maintenance and housekeeping, Taggart said.
The city council approved transferring $15,000 from one park fund to operating supplies to cover the cost of the chemicals, including chlorine, that were used to stabilize the chemical levels this summer. The levels are impacted by multiple variables, such as the amount of people in the water, the temperature and amount of rain, Taggart said.
