Pool will be Closed on Mondays

After much discussion with North West Pool Management, and the Pool Operator, the Board of Directors have unanimously decided that the pool will be closed every Monday during the pool season moving forward.  This is a necessary move as we work toward  promoting a safe, sanitary pool for all neighbors to enjoy.  We know that this is a decision that some will not like.  Change is never easy but sometimes necessary.  Below you will find a quick Q & A to help you understand why we came this decision and why it is so important.

• Q:  Why are we closing the pool on Monday now and why have we never closed the pool on that day before?
• A:   When the board appointed a new pool operator several things were learned that the Board had a duty to address.  One of those issues were that because the pool is opened on Mondays, and because of that the pool company could not shock the pool on Sunday night.  When the Board asked the pool company what their other pools do, it was discovered that we are one of two that were open Monday.  This prevented them from properly treating the water.  The pool company will only do what we allow them to do and so this was a hindrance to proper public pool maintenance.
• Q:  What does shocking the pool accomplish?
• A:  When the pool is shocked, it brings the chlorine to a very high level.  This accomplishes several things.  First it kills algae.  Algae in itself is not harmful to people but it can cloud the water, clog filters and create a chlorine demand that raises the pool pH.  Second, shocking the pool kills human waste particles that inevitably are introduced to the pool when a large number of people use the pool throughout the week.  Other very harmful bacteria can survive with normal chlorine levels such as E-Coli.  Third is that shocking the pool helps to balance out chemicals that is otherwise not possible.  For example, when a pool does not get shocked the combined chlorine rises and is inefficient and therefore cannot sanitize the pool.  This can cause a higher demand for the chlorine which not only costs more money but doesn't do the job.  Over time, buildup of combined chlorine makes it more difficult as the season continues to balance the other chemicals out.  To reduced combined chlorine you have to bring your free chlorine levels higher.  You do this by shocking.  Since ours is a public pool that is heavily used it needs to be shocked weekly and when there are accidents in the pool.  We also have a relatively shallow pool that is exposed to high temperatures.  When water temperatures rise, chlorine becomes less effective and again bring about the need to shock the pool.  Shocking the pool is all about proper sanitation.
• Q:  Do we really need to close the pool all day?
• A:  After shocking the pool, it cannot reopen until the chlorine is below 5ppm.  As a general rule, 24 hours will give the water enough time after super chlorinating the pool (shocking the pool).
• Q:  No one has ever been harmed before, why not continue operating the same way we have for years?
• A:  We are lucky.  People can become very sick depending on what they come in contact with.  Not only do we want to keep people from becoming sick, one of the first things someone who gets sick from a pool can do is subpoena the pool records.