Treadwell Pool Filtration System On Verge Of Failure

By John Voket

Despite lacking a quorum to take any action on the matter as a commission, two Parks and Recreation commissioners learned this week that the town is facing an imminent failure of the pumping and water filtration system serving the Treadwell park pool.

Only Peggy Yochum and Patrick Barczak were in attendance August 12 to hear Assistant Director of Parks Carl Samuelson tell the commission and the department’s newly appointed Director Amy Mangold that the system could fail at any time.

“We could have a catastrophic failure of the system tomorrow, and we are out of business,” Mr Samuelson said.

The assistant parks director said he remains hopeful that the system sustains until the end of the swimming season in a couple of weeks.

But once the pool is deactivated for this season, the town should move as quickly as possible to replace the mechanical infrastructure, he said.

Mr Samuelson brought to the meeting one of the dozens of filtration tubes that comprise the huge filtration tank that is located adjacent to the Treadwell locker rooms. He explained that the filtration system is five years beyond its useful service life, and at least one consultant who has been in to check the system has characterized the equipment as “antique.”

While the failing filtration system poses no health hazard, according to Newtown Health District Director Donna Culbert, Mr Samuelson said as water pressure builds up in the dozens of sand-filled filters, fine grains of sand make their way into the pool creating cloudy water, especially in the deep end.

If a standard visual safety test is performed, and visibility is clouded by the fine sand particles to the point where lifeguards cannot see clearly to the bottom, the pool or the deep end of the pool must be closed to bathers.

Mr Samuelson said that he estimates a replacement system will cost in excess of $100,000, but would also greatly improve both the efficiency and economy of the filtration and pumping system, which circulated hundreds of thousands of gallons of water daily to the town’s only public park pool.

“The good news is that new systems are much more energy efficient,” Mr Samuelson told the board members and staff who gathered for the unofficial meeting.

During a visit to the pump room Wednesday, Parks and Recreation worker Archie Paloian pointed out a rusty spot near the bottom of the huge filtration tank, which is roughly the size of a Volkswagon Bug tipped up on end.

Mr Paloian said the most recent inspection of the tank revealed that the corrosion was penetrating from the inside outward, and that just a thin veil of metal was standing between the tank remaining operable and complete failure. This information was consistent with what Mr Samuelson told commissioners at the meeting.

During the meeting, Mr Samuelson also mentioned that along with the equipment replacement, he was still very motivated to see Treadwell Park hooked into the municipal water system that currently brings service to two neighboring locations within about 500 yards of park property.

Currently, the park is serviced by wells, which Mr Samuelson said occasionally have load deficiencies that impact both the ability to adequately circulate pool water, as well as providing low pressure to other facilities at the park.

If the public water service connection was to be considered, Mr Samuelson estimated the cost would be approximately $150,000.

Ms Culbert said from a public health perspective, she would be happy to see Treadwell serviced by a reliable municipal water supply versus wells, which are also subject to contamination and other issues that normally do not affect public supplies.

Public Works Director Fred Hurley said that supplying public water to Treadwell Park via a two-inch connection was “absolutely doable,” but suggested the price tag to complete the work might be prohibitive.

“No doubt it could be done,” Mr Hurley said, adding that ultimately the municipal water authority would make the final determination as to whether or not it could supply the capacity required for the Treadwell facilities.

“It’s obvious there is a need,” Mr Hurley concluded.

Mr Samuelson said as much as $200,000 of the cost might be underwritten by Local Capital Improvement Plan (LoCIP) grants that are expected to be delivered next March.

First Selectman Joe Borst said that the work might need to be performed before the next round of LoCIP grant applications were due, and ventured that the town might authorize an interim appropriation that could be repaid by the grant funds.

But he reserved committing to that idea until he was able to thoroughly research its feasibility.

New Director Welcomed

In other news, the commissioners this week officially welcomed Ms Mangold, who recently accepted the appointment replacing Barbara Kasbarian as the new Parks and Recreation director. Ms Kasbarian, who was on hand, said Tuesday marked her last official meeting as the department director.

Ms Mangold, who has worked in several capacities in the department for more than 20 years, said she was proud to be appointed to the post.

“I’m thrilled to be able to pursue a career that I’ve been working on since college,” she said.