A report commissioned to assess the condition of six Ashburton District swimming pools has made several recommendations to improve their durability, maintenance and comfort for the community.

The Pools Status Report 2021, commissioned by Ashburton District Council has investigated the state of the Rakaia, Hinds, Tinwald, Ruapuna, Mount Somers and Mayfield community swimming pools, with Council planning to work with the pool and reserve board committees to consider the timing of works and funding sources to implement the recommendations.

The report found most of the pools require re-painting, water valve replacement and general servicing to pumps, and chemical dosing equipment in the years ahead.

It was recommended that the addition of toilets at both the Mayfield and Mount Somers pools would improve the facilities, while wall displacement and general poor quality of the Rakaia, Tinwald, and Hinds pool changerooms prompted the audit to recommend seismic assessments be conducted.

The report also suggested that installing chemical dosing controllers would reduce manual water testing requirements and simplify staff duties for the rural volunteers who look after the pools.

Estimated costs for implementing all 21 key recommendations total $1.47 million across 15 years, however, Community Services Group Manager Steve Fabish says Council is optimistic that funding from grants and other means could be sourced, rather than dipping into Council budgets.

“This report has provided really valuable insights into the condition of our community swimming pools. We know how important they are to our rural towns, and it’s crucial that they continue to receive the right maintenance and improvements to safeguard them well into the future.

“We’ll use these findings to help plan the programme of work as funding becomes available.”

The audit was carried out by architecture and engineering consultants, Architecture HDT and Powell Fenwick, and focused on the condition of the pools’ water service plants and equipment, pool tanks, concourse and buildings.

View the full Pools Status Report 2021.