Costa pool reopens after closure due to recurring leakage, maintenance errors

Unexpected extension of pool closure prevents Costa aquatics practice for weeks.

The Mira Costa pool reopened on Sept. 13 after undergoing repairs that beginning early August for a series of drain problems and leaks in the piping.

The pool was under repair for an overdue leak, Mira Costa Vice Principal Stephanie Hall said in an email to aquatics parents and athletes on Aug. 27. When the leak repair took place, the contractor found an issue with the drain, which also needed to be fixed to prevent further issues.

“The problem was discovered and fixed quickly but then broke again,” Principal Dr. Ben Dale said. “This is because it was a bigger problem than we initially thought.”

Hall sent out another email Aug. 29 which explained that another problem emerged while fixing the pool. 

MBUSD hired an outside contractor who repaired the expansion joint in the pool; however, when the refilling process began, the joint blew and the repair of the same part failed again.

“It was disappointing for all the students and the coaches that the pool was not up and running for the start of school,” swim coach Andi Meeks said.

The district brought in another outside contractor who discovered that the expansion joint beneath the pool was worsened by the hydrostatic pressure. They then used an alternative material to prevent this type of pressure underneath the pool from reoccurring.

The contractor installed the elastomeric seal and water stop on Sept. 7 with the intention of preventing water from reaching the expansion joint. The pool restoration specialist believed the problem to be solved, Hall said in an email. The filling process of the pool began on Sept. 10 and contractors then treated, cleaned and heated the pool.

“I think the administration handled this problem well,” Meeks said. “No one knew the pool was leaking, so we had to drain it, the whole situation was just bad timing.”

While the Costa pool was closed, teams had to search for pools with availability for their practice. The boys water polo team practiced at nearby high school pools, including El Segundo, Redondo Union and Palos Verdes.

“The Water Polo team is especially inconvenienced, along with the other aquatic teams,” Dale said. “The initial fix would have happened quickly but, it did not hold.”