Your pool not open this weekend? This may be why
RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Pools scattered across the Triangle will not be open this weekend. An advisory from the state Department of Labor, one year almost to the day after the death of a Raleigh teenager caused by an electrocuted pool, prompted community pools all across the area to lock their doors pending a sign-off from an electrician.
"Well, nobody's happy, including me," said Jim Dolan, President of the Downing Glen Homeowner's Association in Morrisville. "I go swimming every day."
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Friday, Dolan posted an advisory on Facebook that their community pool would be closed for four to six weeks.
"It's a tragedy what happened last year, a tragedy," Dolan said, referring to the death of Raleigh teenager Rachel Rosoff last year.
A lifeguard at her community pool, Rosoff drowned after being electrocuted in the pool. State officials explain "the water had become electrified due to a faulty water-pump connected to a deteriorated electrical system. The electrical system had not been tested or inspected for about three decades." It prompted a review of safety requirements and new recommendations for swimming pool operators.
State officials say Rosoff's death prompted their advisory this week.
RELATED: Safety inspections delay openings of some Triangle pools
"We do this from time to time when an issue comes up," said Jason Tyson with the NC Labor Department. "We'll issue a hazard alert. In this case it was a fatality that happened on Labor Day last year. With the holiday weekend coming up and the start of pool season, we thought this was a good time to go ahead and get it out there for the summer season."
Still, at Downing Glen, folks who cherish the large community pool weren't happy to get the news it would be closed for perhaps a month and a half.
"It's unacceptable," said Tammy Luck. "Four to six weeks? It's prime time, especially this weekend."
"I'm not happy about it," agreed Anthony Parker. From his front yard, you can walk about 40 paces and get wet. At least, that's how it's supposed to be. "That's more than half of the pool season. I'm not a swimmer myself, but my kids love it, they go over there all the time." Parker wanted to know why the homeowner's association didn't do something sooner.
Jim Dolan said, like many HOAs, theirs relies heavily on its pool management company, which recommended an electrician look at the pool's electrical system in late March. He said the HOA has been looking at vendors to do the job but can't find many who can do it and want to take it.
Asked if he even knew whether his community's pool was safe, Dolan replied, "Depends on who you talk to. It depends on what engineer you talk to. It depends on what electrician you talk to. Our pool company suggested we close down until these issues are identified, clarified and fixed, if they need to be fixed."
Dolan said other area pools are in the same situation and that's created a bottleneck in service.
"Everybody in Wake County is backed up because of this issue, and we don't know where we stand in that pecking order," he said.
