This morning, staff from the City of Austin's Parks & Recreation (PARD), Austin Water, and Watershed Protection departments convened at Barton Springs Pool to assess a leak in the pool’s infrastructure.
Initial inspection indicates that an old water bypass pipe, estimated to date back to the 1940s, developed two holes causing water to be pulled into the now-abandoned pipe below the pool's dam. Watershed Protection staff conducted dye testing to ensure there are no additional leaks. A similar issue occurred at a different location in 2018, and repairs will follow a similar approach.
PARD contractors will conduct repairs in partnership with the Watershed Protection Department and Austin Water, who are providing support with their equipment and expertise. Similar to pool cleaning days, the pool will be closed to reduce water levels so crews can access the repair sites. Additionally, a portion of the area below the dam known as Barking Springs will be cordoned off to allow repair teams access to the dam.
The repair timeline may vary depending on conditions found during the process. For a list of available pools this week, visit austintexas.gov/pools.
Updates on the pool's closure status will be added to austintexas.gov/parkclosures.