Seventeen pools to be open in city

SEVENTEEN municipal swimming pools will be operational this December holiday until next year throughout the city despite the current level 5 water restriction firmly in place.

Last year, only 13 of the 35 public pools were made accessible during the peak summer season. Mayco Member for Social Services JP Smith said alternative water sources will be used to ensure that the water levels are kept at an operationally suitable level. The outdoor pools in Atlantis, Bellville South, Bonteheuwel, Eastridge, Goodwood, Hanover Park, Kensington, Khayelitsha, Manenberg, Mnandi, Muizenberg and Vulindlela will be open from December 1 to February 2 from 10am to 4pm.

While the times of the indoor pools will differ, Blue Downs, Retreat and Strand have been open throughout the year from 10am to 5pm. The Long Street one opens from 7am to 4pm. Sea Point Pavilion pool has been open since early this month from 7am to 6.30pm and will close in January. Another Long Street pool which opens every Tuesday, offers exclusive use to women from 10am to 2pm.

Smith said they are busy converting four of the existing pools to also use salt water which will be in addition to the Sea Point pool which already uses salt water.

“With water restrictions still in place we are not allowed to use any drinking water to maintain the pools. So all operational swimming pools have been fitted with at 2 x 10 000-litre plastic JoJo tanks. These tanks are used to recycle and filter water in circulation back into the swimming pool,” he said.