Courtesy of Henderson State
Recently the Duke Wells Natatorium experienced an expected temporary closure for two days due to mechanical issues with the boiler. A few days before the two-day closure some users informed Head Swimming and Dive Coach Scotty Serio that the pool was noticeably cooler than normal. Serio immediately alerted SSC Services for Education, the maintenance company for Henderson State University, that the temperature was cooler than normal. SSC maintains and repairs the pool for Henderson State University. The Athletic Director for Henderson State University, Shawn Jones, said the pool is normally supposed to be around 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Jones went on to say, “It is tested daily for temperature, as well as chlorine, Ph, alkalinity. So SSC tested it at that time as part of their regular pool maintenance and the levels were good, and the temp was running 78.2. SSC said that it is cooler than it normally is, but not cold.”
The reason the swimming pool was colder than normal is that the boiler was occasionally shutting off instead of running continuously. This is not uncommon for boilers but can cause other issues down the road if not addressed quickly enough. If a boiler shuts down completely, it will cause the chemical feeders in the pool to also shut down, which can cause a disruption in the Ph.
After the boiler was discovered to be the cause of the issue, the pool was immediately shut down and repairs were made to the boiler so it did not completely shut off. Jones confirmed that no one swam in the pool when it was shut down. “That was the only time the temperature and chemicals would not have been in range for use…Mechanical failures do occur from time to time. No one was in danger, and no one used the pool when it was out of range from a temperature and chemical perspective.” said Jones. The swimming pool is now reopened and safe for use.