County Investigates Community Pool

Gilmer County, GA – The Board of Commissioners in Gilmer County are investigating issues with the community pool as they come closer to opening the summer season.Kevan White, Gilmer Parks and Recreation Director, has reported a leak in the pool that occurs whenever the pumps are run.
He has estimated 5,600 gallons of water lost per 24 hrs. That translates to around 170,000 gallons in a month. The Board of Commissioners have immediately begun investigations and started discussions on how to address the problems.
On Tuesday, May 5th, Ground Penetrating Radar Systems representative Jeff DeHart brought in his GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) to the community pool to scan the area in order to indentify leaks and structural weaknesses. After completing his scan, Mr. DeHart reported two problem areas that house potential leaks.
However, when asked, Mr. DeHart reported there was no area in the pool at which he said, “holy-cow, I don’t want to stand here.” Even with the two potential leaks, the structure is not so weakened that there is danger of collapse or failure.
The council has said they want to make sure the citizens are able to come to their pool and enjoy the summer, however, they do wish to gather information and fully investigate the issues to ensure the safety and comfort of the citizens who attend.
Mr. White has said if the Board does open the pool and allow the leak to consist through the summer, they not only consider the gallons of water lost, but the cost of extra chemicals to clean the extra water that has to be replaced in the pool each day.
Mr. White has also been in contact with Matt Hodkinson, a Commercial Specialist with Artistic Pools, Inc., to investigate a possibility of either completely replacing the outer rim of the pool to fix the leaks, or to completely replace the pool. With this pool having been built in 1972, Mr. White has said that over 40 years is a great lifespan for any pool.
This raises the option to consider building a new pool. These options are not formally put before the Board at this time, but Mr. White has been attempting to view all possibilities moving forward to ensure the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of the community pool with this year’s season.

Story by Lonnie Adams