Aquatic center recreation pool closes following pump failure

Posted 1/20/11

A replacement pump arrived in Powell on Wednesday and will be installed today (Thursday). Butts said a company from Billings will install the new pump, and Thursday was the soonest they could do it.

It will take about 24 hours for the water to be …

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Aquatic center recreation pool closes following pump failure

Posted

Pool slated to re-open this weekend; lap pool still open

The recreation pool at the Powell Aquatic Center has been closed to swimmers this week, following a failure with the pool’s recirculation pump.

Pool staff noticed problems before the pump went out and were scheduling for a technician when it failed last week, said Gary Butts, city public services manager.

A replacement pump arrived in Powell on Wednesday and will be installed today (Thursday). Butts said a company from Billings will install the new pump, and Thursday was the soonest they could do it.

It will take about 24 hours for the water to be reconditioned.

“By Friday afternoon, we hope it’s ready to go,” Butts said.

The city staff believes it was a factory problem with the pump, but they will determine what caused the failure, Butts said.

“Obviously, a pump should last more than the six to eight months it was running,” Butts said.

The pump still was under warranty, so the city doesn’t have to pay for the replacement.

“There’s no cost to the city — other than the inconvenience and lost time when people were unable to be in the pool,” Butts said.

For the most part, swimmers have been understanding about the temporary closure, Butts said.

“I know it is a disappointment,” he said.

The aquatic center’s eight-lane lap pool has a separate pump system that is running properly, and that pool remained open to swimmers.

The recreation pool’s pump problems are completely unrelated to issues in December with the facility’s heating, ventilating and air conditioning system.

“They’re not related at all,” Butts said.

After a motor malfunctioned with the equipment that regulates the pool’s humidity and temperature, a new motor was installed and the system runs well now, Butts said. That unit also was under warranty.

“With a new facility, most of the problems occur in the first year,” Butts said.

The surface of floors in both pools is peeling off in areas, and that issue will be addressed when the aquatic center closes for annual maintenance in March.

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