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The SRAC agenda further stated that due to water restriction imposed by the Department of Water and Sanitation, swimming pools have been excluded from using potable water.
The Department of Sports and Recreation has therefore opted to use rainwater harvesting and drilling for boreholes as alternative water sources.
Water tanks were fitted at the Despatch, KwaNobuhle, High Street and Rosedale swimming pools, yet boreholes still have to be drilled.
According to DA spokesperson for the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Margaret De Andrade, the Despatch pool will be opened although there are challenges with ground movement and no available funds to resolve the issue.
Ward 52 Francois Greyling said the Despatch pool has been in good condition after it was upgraded three years ago.
Greyling further said the facility was the only community pool opened during last year’s festive season in the Uitenhage and Despatch area.
“The community swimming pool has fantastic facilities and there are always lifeguards on duty.
“We are however, still waiting for a borehole to be drilled for extra water,” Greyling said.
The Rosedale swimming pool could not be opened last year owing to structural defects which were found when the pool was filled with water.
With the assistance of a group of concerned Rosedale residents who formed a task team to re-open the neighbourhood swimming pool, as reported in the UD Express last month, the pool was revamped and will be officially opened on December 1.
The SRAC agenda stated that the KwaNo-buhle swimming pool has already been filled with water and will be opened soon.
The agenda further mentioned that it was necessary to take into consideration which pools would be opened to ensure that at least one pool in each cluster was opened.
It also stated the importance to accommodate areas where swimming pools are used extensively and whether these pools’ maintenance requirements such as health and safety were up to standard.
