Drought Conditions Prompt Guthrie To Keep Pool Closed For The Summer

Due to low lake water levels and drought conditions, the City of Guthrie Public Works Authority announced the municipal pool at Highland Park will remain closed for the summer.

The city said it did not want to risk its public water availability because the pool required 238,000 gallons of water to fill and another 40,000 gallons daily to maintain. In addition, the city said it would take three weeks to prepare the pool for swimmers, including one week to fill the pool, another week to balance the chemicals, and a third week to train lifeguards.

"I didn't realize it was so bad that they would shut the pool," said Guthrie resident Kirtis Mallett. "If it's going to cut people's water off, like we can't water the yard or something, then I guess it's alright. I'd rather have the pool open though."

Mallett had hoped to take his 2-year-old granddaughter, Haven, to the pool to teach her to swim.

"We were over there looking at it, talking about swimming when it got filled up," said Mallett.

While the municipal pool will remain closed for the summer, the city said it will keep both its splash pads - one at Mineral Wells Park and the other at Banner Park - open on weekends from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The two splash pads use 50,000 gallons of water and 40,000 gallons of water each day, respectively. The city said its staff will monitor drought conditions and consider opening the splash pads on additional days if the lake's water levels rise.