AUSTIN, Texas — Swimmers, rejoice! Barton Springs Pool will reopen this week after closing because of a safety hazard from a busted pipe.
"We worked really closely with the Watershed [Department], engineers and biologists to make sure we conducted repairs safety as a city," said Lucas Massie, assistant director of the Austin Parks and Recreation Department. "We were able to plug the downstream pipe with concrete, which alleviates all suction within the pool."
The city of Austin said the pool will reopen Thursday at 5 a.m., and staff will continue to monitor the repairs to ensure everyone's safety. Meanwhile, Deep Eddy Pool will return to its usual hours now that Barton Springs is ready to open.
What's next for Barton Springs?
With the repairs to the skimmer pipe complete, the next step is for crews to focus on clean-up efforts to restore the pool for the public.
Those efforts will include repainting safety signs, conducting tree and pool maintenance, and installing sod on the south side of the Barton Springs Pool lawn. Some sections of the lawn will remain closed to the public for several weeks to give the new turf time to grow.
The pool will also undergo its regular weekly cleaning on Wednesday this week instead of Thursday when it's usually closed.
“We are thrilled to welcome the community back to Barton Springs Pool in time for the weekend. City leadership and partner departments have been instrumental working efficiently and cooperatively to resolve the issue and ensure that the pool is safe and ready for visitors,” Interim Parks and Recreation Director Angela Means said. “We appreciate the patience and understanding of pool goers throughout the repair process.”
This isn't the first time the pipes at the popular pool have had issues. The city said a similar issue took place in a different spot in 2018.