Council blames rising costs for a drop in swimming pool temperature

In the last five years, one of the seven councils has reduced the temperature of the swimming pool, revealed by the new figures.

The BBC requested the freedom of information (FOI) found that 15% of the councils had reduced the temperature of the pool since 2020, carrying most of the defects with rising energy costs.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said that the council’s finance remained in “delicate status”, with almost a quarter of councils in England or with closure of holiday services.

However, critics fear that it may remove some people from swimming. Tiffany Watson, who floated to help her muscle dystrophy, urged the councils to reconsider.

Of the 256 councils who responded to the BBC Phois, 39 reduced the temperature of the pool in the last five years.

Overall, 33 local authorities permanently reduced the temperature of one chief or learner pool.

No council reduced the body of a pool standards, below the guidelines given by that degree, or the pool and water treatment advisory groups, the target temperature of its pool.

These recommends that the pool should be 27C to 29C for recreational swimming and adult teaching, and for children’s teaching should be 29C to 31C to 31C.

55-year-old Mrs. Watson, who lives in Southwest England, has a rare type of muscle dystrophy called Central Core Disease.

He stopped swimming due to low pool temperature.

“I came out and I could not get hot,” he said.

The central core disease is a genetic condition affecting the muscles, which is usually weak in the nearest muscles of the body, such as the hips and shoulders.

Swimming is a non-vision-bearing exercise, which makes it an ideal for Mrs. Watson. For 10 years, she floats five times a week.

She said: “I can walk in a pool like a normal person. I feel normal in a pool. I look like every other swimmer there.”

However, his pool was “very cold” for him to continue his sessions.

“Anyone with muscle wastage, they are slow in water,” he said.

“Being slow, you cool quickly.”

He said that he told the pool staff that the pool was very cold over a period of months, but was met with “many excuses”.

Eventually he decided that swimming was no longer helping her health, and she had to stop, which she said was contributed to her running.

She said she believes that the temperature of the lower pool was “an easy way to spend less money”, and urged the councils: “Please do not do this – look at other options.”

More than 30 councils that permanently or temporarily reduce the temperature of the low pool, said they did so due to the increase in energy cost after covid and the outbreak of war in Ukraine.

Since the beginning of 2019, the average cost of electricity for non-wet users has exceeded double, with 12.9 p/KWH to 28.39 p/KWH in 2023.

Additionally, five local authorities gave stability and pure zero targets as an important factor in the decision to reduce temperature.

A LGA spokesperson said that “rising energy and operating costs” were forcing the councils to reduce or discontinue holiday features.

He said that despite the “difficult spending decisions” faced by the government, “more money was required to support the necessary preventive services, which benefit the nation’s health, such as swimming pools”.

A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sports said the government was “absolutely committed to creating a healthy nation and reducing pressure on our NHS”.

He said that he was working to support the grassroots facilities as part of the £ 400 meter pledge with sports and holiday sector, “promoting health, good and community harmony” and “helping to remove obstacles for physical activity for groups with” under-projects “.