Pool’s closed for the summer

The Willow Springs city pool leaked more than 20,000 gallons of water overnight when city workers filled it this year. Schematics of the facility built in 1972 do not match the plumbing configuration workers encountered as they ran a camera through the lines, confusing attempts to locate the problem, City Administrator Beverly Hicks told the board of aldermen last Tuesday night

 

The repairs are not within the scope of city employees, Hicks said.

 

“Even though nothing has yet been confirmed, I believe the contributing factor is aging infrastructure. This water leak is somewhere located in the big pool under the concrete,” Hicks clarified in an email to Howell County News. 

 

 She has contacted St. Louis-based Westport Pools to diagnose and complete the repairs. Westport can be in town this week to look at the pool, but they will not be available for the work until later in the summer. 

 

“I do not recommend opening the pool as it is right now,” Hicks told the aldermen Tuesday. 

 

After discussion, Mayor Adam Webb asked for a motion to close the pool facilities for the 2026 season. Alderman Bryan Hogan made the motion, and Alderman Mike Tooley seconded it. The motion passed 4-0. 

 

Could it have been caught earlier?

 

In the follow up email, Hicks said the city maintains the pool throughout each winter to keep it ready for pool season, but, “We cannot start filling the pool with water until a couple of weeks before the pool is to open.”

 

Underground leaks can only be found once the pool is filled and the pumps are working. 

 

This leak is a new problem, Hicks confirmed. Westport Pool performed large-scale repairs on the pool at a cost of about $175,000 in 2020/2021 when the facility was closed for COVID. They repaired leaks throughout the system and crumbling concrete around the pool and replaced the liner. 

 

As of 2021, the water system held pressure. The repairs conducted by Westport caused the pool to lose 5,000 to 7,000 gallons of water a day, not anywhere near the 20,000-gallon loss of this year’s leak.

 

What about the water park?

 

The leak is under the “big pool,” the main swimming pool, city workers theorize. Hicks pointed out that another option for the summer is to close the pool but leave the “water park area” open. This space with a zero-entry, shallow area, whirlpool, lazy river, and water slide has a capacity of 150, the aldermen heard. 

 

Expenses to operate the water park only would be similar to operating the full pool facility, Hicks pointed out. Alderman Tooley expressed concerns about safety. If construction to repair the big pool takes place while the water park is open, he said he is concerned about keeping pool users safe.

 

There’s also no guarantee the water park side of the facility will not require repairs, Hicks pointed out. 

 

Financial impact

 

Between lifeguard and pool manager salaries and training costs, the city spends about $120,000 on seasonal employees, Hicks said in Tuesday’s meeting. The manager and lifeguards had already been hired for the 2026 season. 

The pool must be repaired because the money to construct it came from a bond. The terms of the bond require the city to maintain an operational facility. 

 

Not only is it required, “but it’s the right thing to do,” Hicks said Tuesday night. 

 

To pay for the unexpected repairs, there are sales tax funds earmarked for parks since 2004. Some of these funds are retained in the city’s reserves, but likely will not fund the full cost of the repair. 

 

Information on the costs of the repairs will be published when it is available.