Ten days in, the lap pool at the Ruby C. Fulbright Aquatic Center in Clarkesville remains closed.
The county closed the pool on September 19 after a mechanical issue caused the water to become cloudy, severely limiting lifeguards’ visibility. Recreation officials said letting people swim in the pool under those conditions was unsafe.
A press release by Habersham County on September 29 says the parts have been ordered to repair the faulty equipment. However, supply chain issues and logistics may delay those repairs.
“We have made contact with the commercial pool company that we need to make the repairs to the pool, and they have ordered the parts that we need, so we’re kind of at the mercy of how quickly they come in,” says Habersham County Parks and Recreation Director Brooke Whitmire.
The Recreation Department also has contacted the person who originally built the pool.
“We would like to coordinate with the company and with him to come in and do the major repair that’s needed,” says Whitmire. In the meantime, she remains hopeful they can find a temporary fix.
“We are very hopeful that even up until that happens that we will be able to reopen once we have cleared the water up and once it’s a safe level for clarity’s sake.”
Before the pool reopens, Environmental Health officials will inspect the pool to ensure safe water quality.
The faulty equipment did not affect the smaller recreation pool at the aquatic center. It remains open to the public.
