AUSTIN (KXAN) — An exact timeline isn't known for how long it will take to reopen Barton Springs Pool, as city leaders now have to weigh more than just repairing large holes in a pipe that put the safety of swimmers at risk.
The city announced Tuesday it's working on a plan to fix an abandoned pipe, which is more than 80 years old and once captured debris in the pool. The old pipe apparently developed two large holes, raising concerns it could suck in swimmers.
A photo released Wednesday afternoon by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department showed the area where the holes initially formed was in about five and a half feet of water, and a small whirlpool formed before the city did a temporary repair.
Council Member Paige Ellis, whose district in south Austin includes the Barton Springs Pool area, pointed out the city also has to factor in protections for something else in the water while planning out repairs. The spring-fed pool is home to the endangered Barton Springs Salamander, which requires the city to have a federal permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to keep operating the pool as a recreation area.
"Everybody loves this pool. We want it open as quickly as possible. We have to make sure it's safe not only for swimmers, but for the endangered species that live here as well," Ellis said Wednesday. "I'm confident that we're going to get to a good place. We just have to do a proper evaluation and assessment and create the plan to get there."
That cautious approach is why the city is now advising locals and visitors alike that it may take weeks to reopen Barton Springs Pool. Several city departments are now involved in devising how to move forward, and local leaders said they would be able to share more about the timing of repairs soon.
Since he could not enjoy the famously chilly waters of Barton Springs Pool Wednesday, Bramley Munz of Austin instead took a dip in the area below the dam known as Barking Springs. He said it's a minor inconvenience given the hazard that the city said lies below the pool's surface.
"The pool management and the lifeguards are very serious about safety, and I've seen them rescue people and they've done a fantastic job. I'm grateful for that," Munz said. "In the big picture, I'd rather have a safe pool and have it closed for whatever they need to do, and there's a dog beach to go swimming at too."
The city also moved to open Deep Eddy Pool, located at 401 Deep Eddy Ave., starting at 6 a.m. while repairs are happening at Barton Springs Pool.
Robbin Trusty, who lives in the neighborhood behind Barton Springs, stopped by Wednesday to see whether any work was happening. She said she used to go swimming at the pool three times a week, but now she's turning to other exercise for the time being.
"Yes, I've been walking and biking," Trusty said Wednesday. "Thank goodness today's been cooler, but it's usually very, very hot and so there's nothing like jumping in Barton Springs Pool on a hot day."
The city said it will keep posting updates on how the pool's repairs are progressing on its website.
