The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON – Summer swimming is in full swing, and city staff have been working to ensure not only a good experience for guests to the Dayton City Pool but also save the city money.

The city purchased a new chlorination system that is not only easier and safer to use but much more cost effective, according to pool manager Emily Schlenz.

The original system consisted of 50-gallon barrels containing a concentration of about 12 percent chlorine mixed with water.

Now workers use tablets that are a concentrated 60 percent chlorine.

"Rob John, our maintenance man, tells me that we should only use about four five-gallon buckets full of the pellets for the entire summer," Schlenz said. "Whereas when we used the barrels, we would go through as many as one in a two-day period."

City officials say decreased transportation expenses should provide a huge cost savings.

The city will also be able to purchase a new pool tarp and reel, thanks to a Blue Mountain Community Foundation grant for $7,500, Schlenz said.

"This will help the pool keep its heat and chemicals during the night as well as during days when we are closed," she said.

The city has not purchased new tarps or a new reel for the pool in over 10 years, according to Schlenz. The tarp and reel have been ordered and should arrive in four to six weeks.

For information on city pool hours, special activities and prices, call (509) 382-2441.