Consultant says abrasions caused by softening of skin during curing process, city has done more than others to ensure safety
By Kellen Olshefski
Editor
Mayor Brian Olson and City of Elkhorn staff took resident concerns about pool users going home with abrasions from floor of the new pool to task last week to find out exactly what was happening and what could be done.
Olson and city staff met with an outside pool consultant the morning of Tuesday, July 14 to discuss the concerns and complaints of users leaving the pool with abrasions on their hands and feet and ultimately canceled swimming lessons that morning to bring in 10 additional workers to inspect the pool in its entirety.
In meeting with the consultant, Olson said while the abrasions are obviously a concern, the city was informed by the consultant the situation is actually quite common with brand new pools.
Olson said the consultant told city staff though the plaster is in place and the pool is filled, the plaster still goes through a 30-day curing process, during which time salts are released by the plaster which soften skin, especially for repeat users of the pool, and can cause abrasions when scraping the pool floor.
According to Olson, the consultant told the city they typically prefer to do plaster in the fall because of this reason, though this rarely happens in the industry as projects wrap up in spring and the number of abrasions decrease over the first 30 days of use. Olson said this has been consistent with data the city has been keeping in monitoring the concern, noting upon opening they saw 15-20 abrasions and were down to about three last week.
“With over 300 users daily, per the consultant this is to be expected and acceptable,” Olson said in a memo to City of Elkhorn aldermen.
However, Olson noted the city has not taken the situation lightly, as he noted city staff has carefully monitored the situation and has worked with the pool contractor, Corporate Contractors, Inc., of Beloit, to buff out raised areas in the pool, something he said the consultant noted as well.
“We have done more than they have seen to ensure safety in regards to this situation than any other community they have worked with,” he said.
With the abrasions being common with opening a brand new pool, Olson said the consultant advised the city not to close the pool.
On a more positive note, Alderman Michael Kluck reported to the City of Elkhorn Common Council Monday night the pool has seen a tremendous turn-out since opening.
“The pool’s been a big hit obviously, we’ve actually been turning people away for three days, because it’s reached maximum capacity,” he said.
Kluck said the city has sold 408 memberships and more than 3,000 days passes to date, bringing in roughly $55,000 in revenue for the city.
