The FVHS pool has struggled with many maintenance issues over the past few weeks, hindering the swim teams ability to practice and compete in home meets. With several different systems working around the clock, including the heating system, the filter system, the main pump system, the chemical feed system and the automatic robotic cleaning system, a problem is to be expected. The main problem lies within one of the pumps that pushes the water into the filter in order to keep the pool clean.
The pump continuously pumps out the pit to the filters where it is cleaned, but the pump was not working correctly, according to Patrick Stellhorn, the Director of Maintenance, Operations and Transportation at HBUHSD.
A lot goes into replacing the pump to keep the maintenance working at its fullest capacity. Every time the district needs to replace the pump in any of the pools, they make sure that the company they go through, Orange County Pump, tests the motor, cleans it, installs new bearings, and completely repairs it to get it working at its best. To repair the pump, it had to be completely dismantled and rebuilt.
“[When it was finished], it was installed back into the pit, motor installed, the pool chemicals were brought back up and the pool opened,” said Stellhorn.
This problem with the pool has forced the FVHS swim team to find alternate practice locations and pushed all meets to the competing teams pools. The team was divided into their levels and continued to practice at Ocean View HS, Huntington Beach HS, and Los Cab Racquetball Club.
“It can be inconvenient to get rides elsewhere, but there are some carpools in order to get there,” said Kyle Fusco (‘16), a varsity swim team member.
With the pool out of commission, the coaching staff had to push all meets to the competing teams pools, limiting the amount of people who could come. The lesser amount of people that could attend meant that some team members were unable to support the team.
“I like the home meets, because kids will just walk on from school and watch the meets, but having it at another school isn’t that big of a deal,” said Fusco.
The pump was fixed, but the pool is still having some difficulties with maintaining the inner-workings of the pool system. This is another issue that should be fixed soon so the team can again practice in their own pool.
