There is an old saying: “Don’t cry over spilled milk.”

Local officials are taking a similar position over some water that was leaking from both of the huge municipal swimming pools that were recently filled at the new Community Center.

Since the leaks were discovered, they have all been repaired, and plans are still firm for a ribbon cutting and soft opening on Friday, July 19, according to First Selectman Dan Rosenthal.

Newtown Public Building and Site Commission Chairman Robert Mitchell added that “These are very large pools involving sophisticated construction. It’s not at all unusual for any pool to have some type of leaks once it’s finished.”

Mr Mitchell said pools are like roofs: the larger and more complex they are, the more they are subject to occasional post-installation leaks.

“So you find the leak, and you go in and fix it,” he said.

Mr Rosenthal described several pinhole leaks that were discovered in some of the sealing material where banisters were installed under the water line of the zero-entry recreation pool. The other Community Center lap pool experienced a temporary but more substantial water drop shortly after being filled, the first selectman said.

This was due to a malfunctioning valve that allowed water to pass through one of the existing drain pipes. Mr Rosenthal said that untreated water was eventually discharged into the local sewer system.

He reminded residents that he expected any extraneous expense for repairs, including retaining a diver to perform underwater inspections, was on the contractor and would not be borne by the town or taken from the facility’s construction or operating budgets.

Mr Mitchell said the repair trouble shooting occurred similarly to other pool leak situations he has encountered in his many years as a commercial architect, and that repairs were made in industry standard fashion.

“Crews had been correcting them as they go,” Mr Rosenthal said of the leaks. “As of today [July 10], they are all fixed. I did not believe there was any call for alarm. You’re talking about pinholes in two giant pools.”

Mr Mitchell said with all repairs completed, the pool was scheduled to have its final building inspection on July 11 and its health agency inspection on July 12.

An official ribbon cutting and soft opening is planned for one week later, on Friday, July 19.