Hantsport faces a major pool leak

The Town of Hantsport is working hard to keep the regular operations at the pool afloat. All efforts to find a major leak in the pool have baffled town staff.

About 5,000 gallons of water is going missing each day as town crews have tried to bring in plumbers, put video cameras in the pipelines, do diggings around the pool, use thermal images, and run dye tests to find the source of the leak. But all efforts are at a loss.

Recreation director Nichole Lutz says the town will continue to try to find the source of the leak. “That much water is going somewhere. It’s a matter of finding out where.”

Staff noticed the pool was losing a considerable quantity of water when it was filled for the summer season in late June, but noted small amounts of water were lost in previous years.

“Right now, I can’t see us closing the pool,” Lutz said. “That will be our last resort.”

Hantsport CAO Jeff Lawrence announced at the last council meeting the town might have to consider shutting the pool down if the problem continues to escalate.

It would be a shame for children using this facility who don’t participate in other sports, Lawrence noted. “They are getting physical activity they wouldn’t otherwise get.”

Mayor Wayne Folker says if the town can’t find the source of the leak it would be impossible not to shut the pool for a while. “We’re hoping it doesn’t come to that.”

The different water volumes would affect the chemical balances used to keep the water regulated correctly in the pool, Folker said. “We can’t just carry on like that.”

It’s going to be a long, hot summer by the looks of things, so the town is doing everything possible to fix the problem, Folker added. “We’ve just having a hard job of it right now.”