Here Are Options Being Considered for Safe Pool Operation

What will summer pools look like when, and if, they open in the coming weeks? Well, that depends on where you live and how your part of the country is addressing the Covid-19 pandemic. All over the nation, swimmers – competitive and recreational – are yearning for the opportunity to get back in the water. For some, a return will mean working toward target times and specific meet. For others, a return will mean once again engaging in a healthy lifestyle.

USA Swimming recently sent out a set of guidelines for how club programs should handle practices when they reopen. The organization put together a comprehensive workbook that covers a variety of topics, from sanitizing and disinfecting to where swimmers should be positioned in the water to maintain social distancing.

Obviously, whether pools will operate and how they will go about allowing people into the water will depend on the severity of the coronavirus in that specific region. Here are several ways summer pools will handle procedures, along with several ideas that have been proposed.

Complete shutdown of pools for the summer season.
Delayed openings of pools for summer – following the typical Memorial Day kickoff of the season.
Limited number of total individuals on the pool grounds at a given time. Some pools are planning to count the number of patrons who come through the facility’s gates and can take advantage of the club’s basketball courts, picnic areas, sunbathing areas and pool.
Limited number of swimmers in the pool at a given time, the number determined by the size and configuration of the pool.
Some areas of the country, such as Texas, have suggested the idea of having pools at 25% capacity of their normal totals.
Riverside, California has suggested that pools on the premises of apartment complexes or in Home Owners’ Associations should allow just one swimmer in the water at a time.

As the Covid-19 virus is better contained, many of these pools will adjust accordingly, and make decisions in the best interest of their members. Simply, it is a wait-and-see time, with fingers crossed that the summer can get as close to normal as possible for those who love the water and the sport of swimming.

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

Name*

Email*

2 Comments

Oldest

Newest Most Voted

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Karen Kieffer Heinz

3 years ago

Michele Firlie

LaDonna Olson

3 years ago

Why can’t we have the pools open with a limited number of people for our swim teams that compete with USA swimming and clubs that’s not pools that are open to the public our swimmers have practice for years and years and they need to get back in the water