Water Quality issues-correspondence with CN

1 January 2024 To The Ocean Baths Project Team 1 January 2024

Soon after Newcastle Ocean Baths opened, users noticed that the water quality was very poor which is at odds with the commitments from the Lord Mayor and council officers that there would be a dramatic improvement to the water quality. As is the case with any pool, there is a need to remove the oil, grease and debris that forms on the surface of the water which is normally done by way of “skimming boxes”. In the case of the baths, there is no such boxes and the highest openings in the screens on the outlet pits is approximately 100mm below the water surface which we believe is further blocked by a bracket securing the screens. As a result, there is no way for the surface contaminants to exit the pool and hence are being mixed in with the water causing the poor water quality. Also, these surface contaminants are collecting in patches in different sections of the pool, depending on the water movement and wind patterns. Could you advise what CN propose to rectify the poor water quality and what considerations

were given to the provision of skimming boxes or similar to drain contaminated surface water.

29 January 2024-CN response:

NEWCASTLE OCEAN BATHS WATER QUALITY

I refer to your request to City of Newcastle (CN) regarding the water quality at Newcastle Ocean Baths (NOB).

The baths have seen unprecedented use since the pools opening. While the pump testing and commissioning period proved valuable in understanding how the pool functions, it was not possible to emulate the significant swimmer volume and all varying weather conditions.

The Baths incorporate skimmer boxes at the southern end of the pool as overflow points.

Water overflows through these skimmer boxes only when the pumps are operational, pushing water to overflow.

The effectiveness of the skimmer boxes will be impacted by prevailing wind and set

programming for the pumps operation. Pump operations currently occur in the morning and evening and the operational team continue to refine pump timing and strategies to determine the best pumping scenario for the revitalised site.

CN will continue to monitor the pools water quality adjusting the pump frequency, duration, cleaning methods and water level as required.

The Ocean Baths Project Team

FONOB Inc. response 29 January 2024

Thank you for your correspondence dated 29 January 2024 regarding water quality. 

We assume from your letter that the skimmer boxes you refer to are the upper portion of the outlet grates on the southern wall. These are simply not functioning as skimmer boxes as:-

1. The top 100mm of the grates are impermeable due to what we assume is a mounting bracket blocking water flow. 

2. The water levels are consistently 200mm higher than the water level shown on the drawings which appears to be a result of the openings in the grates being undersized and the blockages caused by sea grasses which results in a buildup of water.

The combination of these factors results in the water level being typically 300mm higher than the section of the grates that allow water to leave the pool. As a result, the oil and debris that collect on the surface is not effectively removed from the pool and gets mixed in with the pool water creating the water quality issues that skimmer boxes are designed to prevent.