Joburg Closes All Municipal Pools Amid Critical Chlorine Shortage
The City of Johannesburg is temporarily closing all municipal swimming pools due to a critical shortage of chlorine, with all 57 facilities expected to be shut by Monday, 16 November, until further notice.
The Department of Community Development announced on Thursday that pools were being gradually closed to protect public health.
Acting director Mbulelo Bezu said the decision was necessary because operating pools without proper chemical treatment posed a health risk.
“We know how vital our public pools are to families and young people trying to beat the heat right now, and we share the community’s disappointment,” Bezu said.
The City has activated emergency procurement processes to secure chlorine and other pool chemicals. Pools will only reopen once the water has been treated and tested. No reopening date has been announced.
The latest closures follow a troubled start to the swimming season, with the planned 1 September opening postponed to 1 October due to maintenance and compliance issues, chemical shortages and a lack of lifeguards and cashiers.
Only about 20 to 26 pools eventually opened in mid-October after the City secured approximately 3 750kg of chemicals.
The closures come as temperatures rise, leaving residents with fewer affordable public facilities to cool off while the City works to resolve the supply shortage.
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