Edmonton's borden natural swimming pool opening was delayed due to LECK

The opening of the Borden Natural Swimming Pool is delayed by about a month due to a leak.

The Edmontonians who want to check the pool only have to wait a little longer to go a bath. The city says the pool should be open until the end of the month.

Ashley Desmarais told CBC on Thursday, hoping to check the pool for the first time.

“It is always something that I wanted to check with the natural spring they have there,” she said.

The pool is unique as Canada's first public outdoor chemical pool. It was expected to open in mid -June.

However, part of maintaining a natural pool includes special environmental considerations.

Borden natural swimming pool uses rock filters and natural processes in the regeneration pool to clean the water instead of using chemicals.

A leak was found where the pipe is connected to one of the natural filter beds filled with stones and plants. Investigation and repair of the leak source required the removal of the rocks from the filter to clear the liner.

“We closed the facility, as we would normally do at the end of last season and they would be wintry. We found that there was a leak in part of the filtration processes,” said Cyndi Slousher, Facility Manager of the City of Edmonton.

While the final costs for the repair are still confirmed, the repairs are estimated due to the required special filter material and the labor-intensive type of work on the repairs between $ 80,000 and $ 100,000.

The filter has now been repaired and put together again.

“As part of the filling of the filtration system and the commission of the system, we have to let the plants and natural processes grow,” said Slousher.

“Our healthy bacteria that are in the water and the microscopic organisms that help to clean the water had to allow them to grow.”

Slousher says that the plants in the pool cut off well and that it is expected before the end of July.

After the repair, the pool is filled, then the water must be tested for the health standards and inspections of the province before reopening.