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Somerville officials apologize for prolonged Jenny Smithers Pool closure; drainage, repairs and new communications promised
Summary
City Parks and Recreation, Public Works and Inspectional Services described a multi-week effort to diagnose a chemical imbalance at Jenny Smithers Pool, say the pool was drained April 3–7, and outlined next steps including replacement drains, refilling, ISC inspection and revised communications to users.
Director of Parks and Recreation Sue Yerkes apologized to the Somerville community for the prolonged closure of the Jenny Smithers Pool and said Parks and Recreation, the Department of Public Works and Inspectional Services are coordinating to reopen the facility safely.
"I take full accountability for actions by parks and recreation staff that contributed to the delayed pool inspection on 02/27/2025," Director Sue Yerkes said, adding that staff retraining and revised communications are under way.
Commissioner Joe Lathan of the Department of Public Works said DPW stepped in to drain the pool as a "reset" after repeated attempts to correct the water chemistry failed. "We started draining on the 3rd. We completed on the 7th," Lathan said. He told the committee DPW has ordered replacement drains that must be installed before the pool is refilled and cleared for use.
Officials described a sequence of troubleshooting steps taken between late February and April: repeated shock treatments, consultation with long‑term pool operators from neighboring municipalities, hiring an outside consultant, and, ultimately, a full drain and deep cleaning. Director Antonovica of Inspectional Services said tests showed a high level of total chlorine, meaning combined chlorine compounds were elevated; she said that measurement—not a single named chemical—was the metric that triggered concern.
DPW reported that once replacement drains arrive they will be installed, the pool will be refilled over about three to four days, chemicals will be reapplied to reach required balances, and Inspectional Services will subsequently re‑inspect the facility before returning operations to Parks and Recreation. Commissioner Lathan said an additional, temporary filtration measure recommended by an outside consultant—a peat‑based "pool moss" placed in deck tanks—will be used monthly as an extra cleaning step.
Council members and School Committee representatives focused much of their questioning on how and why the situation persisted for weeks and on communication failures. Councilor Saeed summarized constituent frustration over receiving late or unclear notices and said parents and swim instructors reported receiving last‑minute cancellations. "We want transparency," Saeed told the directors.
Committee members also noted an erroneous online banner that briefly indicated the pool was open; Director Yerkes acknowledged the message was an old banner and said staff will correct it. Officials said Parks and Recreation uses the Somerville MyRec registration system to notify lesson registrants and that the aquatics program manager is responsible for sending cancelation notices. The committee asked for a broader, multi‑channel communications plan—email, MyRec alerts, social media, the City website and a posted notice at the pool—to avoid repeat last‑minute surprises.
Chair Lance Davis and Liaison Radazzi requested that items probing the cause of the imbalance and a new maintenance process (agenda items 5 and 6) remain in committee until the administration returns with a written plan clarifying roles and procedures across departments. Liaison Radazzi agreed to carry that request to the Mayor's Office.
The committee did not draw a final determination on the definitive root cause of the imbalance; officials said the investigation remains open even as immediate repairs proceed. A sequence of near‑term steps with approximate timings given on the record are: installation of replacement drains (expected within days of the meeting), refill (3–4 days), chemical rebalancing, and an ISC follow‑up inspection before reopening.
Ending
Committee members directed the administration to return with clearer, written processes about which department performs daily testing, how testing kits and supplies are tracked, and how communications will be handled with pool users and school partners. Items 5 and 6 (cause of the chemical imbalance and a new maintenance process) were kept in committee for follow‑up; the committee marked items 3 and 4 (notification process and updates on the continued closure) as complete/on file for now.
