At an April 19 public meeting of Catasauqua Borough Council’s recreation committee, the major discussion point was the Catasauqua municipal swimming pool.

Councilman Gene Schlegel, committee chair, called the meeting to order, with Councilwoman Deb Mellish present and Councilman Paul Cmil absent.

Two residents, Sean and Jill Smeridion, questioned the committee and borough Manager Steve Travers about grant funding, where documents are kept, how to join the committee and what can be done to open the pool.

After understanding the pool will not open in 2021, they suggested fundraising and a timeline to move forward to a reopening in 2022.

Schlegel thanked the Smeridions for their interest in the swimming pool. He explained this is what the borough needs - to get new people active in what the borough is trying to do.

Travers explained, because of the leak, the pool loses on average 40,000 gallons of water per day. This means about 40,000 gallons or more of water must be added to the pool each day and treated with chlorine. This leakage increases costs.

It is currently unknown where the pool water leakage is going. This raises concerns that a sinkhole or ground collapse might occur.

Travers went on to describe the $180,000 potential temporary repair that could have made the pool operational but ignored the other pressing pool issues. This idea was abandoned due to the severity of all the problems.

COVID-19 pandemic restrictions from the state would contribute to increased losses if only 25- or 50-percent attendance is allowed.

The borough has a grant request from the county’s local share account. The LSA funds are based on gambling revenues. The grant is for funding of a study to provide options and a road map to fix the pool. LSA grants have not yet been awarded.

Travers and Jeff MacHose, Catasauqua public works director, said the cost to redo the pool is in excess of $1 million. According to MacHose, the last redo was in 1998-99 at a cost of $1.5 million. He expects the cost to be much higher now.

The Smeridions asked for the definition of “redo.” Travers explained it is a complete replacement of the pool’s operational equipment - essentially creating a new pool.

It was also noted the pool has flooded three times in the past couple of years.

MacHose said there have always been flooding issues at the playground. He noted before the pool was built in the 1930s, there was a small lake where the pool is now.

The pool is too large, and it was questioned if the borough can continue the $50,000 to $80,000 the pool loses in a typical year.

The Smeridions suggested the pool be privatized. Travers explained privatizing has legal hurdles and other issues that make it difficult to privatize.

In responding to one of the Smeridions’ questions, Mellish explained a resident cannot be a member of the council’s recreation committee as it is for council members only. She noted the committee will discuss an issue and make recommendations to council. Council then acts on the recommendation. Mellish noted the committee meetings are public, so residents can provide input and support for the committee.

Reportedly, possible solutions include the redo of the pool at great cost; totally abandoning the pool and moving forward with a pool demolition and replacing it with a lake; or pulling out the current pool and constructing a newer, smaller pool reflective of current pool-use demand.

Reportedly, only about 10 percent of Catasauqua residents use the pool.

The pool’s future is in question, thanks to the long-standing leak and subsequent concerns of ground stability, its location near a creek known for flooding, a size much larger than attendance demands, pandemic restrictions and more.