Palm Desert encourages public pool use during drought

Five-year-old Will and his 4-year-old brother Tyler just started swim lessons at the Palm Desert Aquatic Center.

Their family is trying to save water by not refilling their swimming pool at home during the summer.

“I think it’s important to make people aware whatever they can do for the water situation,” said Suzy Easton, Will and Tyler’s grandma.

The city of Palm Desert hopes residents listen to water agency requests to cover and not refill personal swimming pools, and instead take advantage of community amenities.

Currently there are no state water restrictions on facilities like public swimming pools or water parks.

“113,000 people came in 2014 and if you’re talking about the best use of water, it makes more sense to have a regional facility than a backyard pool at every house in the city,” said Ryan Stendell, the Senior Management Analyst for the city.

The aquatic center’s three pools are filled with a total of 1.2 million gallons of water, but that water recirculates and the facility only refills what evaporates. Palm Desert didn’t have data available on the amount it refills per month.

But the city says the aquatic center was built with the best technology to prevent water waste.

“Everything from the style of filters and gutter systems to collect water were all selected so that this was an efficient running facility,” Stendell said.

“A public pool is important and necessary,” Easton said.

And as those triple digit temperatures return, Will and Tyler have found a new place to call home for the summer.

“You need a place to cool off,” Easton said. “If you’re going to make your desert life possible, you need to have some respite.”