As we reported last week, the Gilmer County Pool is undergoing repairs. Anyone who has seen the project price tag has to wonder: “What’s wrong with the pool, again?” FYN has spoken with the project contractors to find out just what exactly is being fixed. Originally, the pool had to be shut down because it wouldn’t hold water. Those familiar with the issue might recall hearing about cracks in the pool floor leading to underground cavities thought to be responsible for the leaks. As Jerry Crane of Sunbelt Pools explained, however, this was not the case. Using sonar equipment, the contractors determined that there were no large underground cavities as had been feared.

What they did find was a compromised plumbing system. Pressure testing and video inspection tools revealed leaks in the aging underground pipe system that fills, drains, and filters the pool water.

As project manager Frank Desantis explained to me, the pool has three pipelines:

A) The main drain line, which drains water from two drain holes in the deep end of the pool up to the filter house;

B) The gutter pipe line, which runs along the perimeter of the pool, that drains surface water from the gutter system to the filter house; and

C) The return line that pumps filtered water back into the pool

Illustration by Brandon Lee

As illustrated above, this pipe system is currently being excavated for repairs. As of this week, the contractors have found major leaks in the drain line (A) joints located directly under the pool. The gutter line (B) and return line (C) appear to be intact. When I spoke to Mr. Desantis Monday, he was confident that the pool is leaking only from this pipe system. Nevertheless, fixing a pipe system buried underneath a concrete pool is a major undertaking.

A second issue being tackled by the contractors is an expansion joint on the pool floor near the deep end. The surface of the joint (a feature required to allow any large concrete structure to expand with temperature changes) had cracked, leading some to suspect it was the source of the leaks. Even though Sunbelt discovered that was not the case, the surface cracking and integrity of the joint are problems that must be addressed.

Illustration by Brandon Lee

For unknown reasons, the expansion joint had been improperly coated with concrete. Because the concrete layer doesn’t expand and contract with the joint underneath, it has started to crack. Sunbelt plans to remove the concrete layer at the joint and re-install a working expansion joint sealed with a strip of rubber.

Fortunately for Gilmer residents, this isn’t a “Your Tax Dollars at Work” story. The $132,000 job is being funded by a $70,000 grant from the Harrison foundation, as well as other pending grants. FYN will keep our readers up to date on the project and fund raising efforts as they progress.