Pool fixes temperature problems

FAMILIES who deserted Portishead’s indoor pool because the water was too cold, are now flocking back after the resolution of an age-old problem.

For years, residents have complained that water temperatures at the pool at Parish Wharf Leisure Centre continually fell below acceptable levels.

Parents with young children say they were often forced to get out of the pool after short periods, because youngsters who were not continually on the move could not cope with the low temperatures.

Now after years of investigations, new equipment has been installed to the filter system, ridding the pool of its cold water problems.

Contracts manager Keith Evans said: “We have been well aware of the problems with the fluctuation of our pool temperature and have investigated several avenues in order to rectify the problem. We now believe that after spending �5,000 on new equipment we have overcome the problem at long last.”

Before publicly announcing the good news, Mr Evans invited swimmers who had previously made complaints, to test the water and they have all given it the thumbs up.

Due to the high usage of the leisure pool, the heat exchangers had not been able to cope with the amount of fresh water being added to maintain a high water quality.

With outside temperature affecting the fresh water being brought in it was taking longer than it should to heat up. By the time temperatures had returned, it was time for the water to be filtered again, and temperatures would plummet. It became a vicious circle.

Mr Evans added: “It was a case of persistence, but we are now happy that the problem has been solved once and for all.”

Figures show that swimmers are now staying in the pool longer. Mum of two small children, Allison Jones, who lives in Redcliffe Bay said: “I stopped taking my toddlers to Parish Wharf. It was okay in the leisure pool but I wanted them to swim around and they would start shivering within minutes of getting in to the bigger pool, it made swimming quite an unpleasant experience. I have returned this week and have been pleasantly surprised.”

Other parents interviewed agreed that the water temperatures are now much improved at the Harbour Road centre and remained stable throughout their swim.