City Council Chairman Richard Conlin just sent us great news.  The Council will likely fund UV treatment systems for multiple pools next year (not just one!) using its energy efficiency budget.  The Council may even fund UV treatment for all pools that lack UV.

A big shout of thanks to everyone who wrote letters or spoke up for our proposals at the many levy forums — your voices made a difference.  Thanks go to City Council Chair Conlin and all members of the Council for their support for pools.  Further thanks go to City Council Central Staff Director Ben Noble for helping our group understand how levy advocacy works.

Now, why is UV so good?  UV provides more than just energy efficiency (by allowing pool covers).  UV does more than just killing cryptosporidium (a human health threat).  UV does more than just reducing chlorine byproducts (the yucky stuff that makes your eyes sting).

UV treatment will make it technically feasible for our indoor pools to open 7 days a week (by cutting chlorine byproducts).  Imagine swimming on Sunday in Greenlake Pool.  More hours could mean more lessons for kids who are being turned away today, more water aerobics classes for seniors and more lap swimming time for all.  And using our existing pools to their full potential is almost certainly a pre-requisite for building more pools. 

Now onwards! Next step: Lobby for funding for a "Comprehensive Aquatics Plan" to go into the city buget this Fall.  It’s a key step towards getting pools built.