It will be weeks rather than days before the Dunedin physiotherapy pool can reopen after its heat exchanger failed last week.
The machinery, which heats the pool water to a steamy 35degC, was not the sort of equipment that could simply be bought off the shelf, Otago Therapeutic Pool Trust secretary-treasurer Neville Martin said.
"The pool will have to remain closed until such time as the exchanger is back in service," Mr Martin said.
"As I understand it, the exchanger has to be built to spec for it to be able to heat the water to the required temperature.
"I don’t think it’s something you can just buy and plug in."
The trust had not yet considered how the cost of the replacement would be funded as the priority was getting the pool back in use, Mr Martin said.
The cost would depend on what equipment was required to be replaced to heat the water properly.
The future of the extensively used pool has been uncertain for years due to the high cost of running and heating it, and the security of the trust’s lease on the pool from the Southern District Health Board.
The pool also requires maintenance work and upgrading, for which the trust has been fundraising.
Mr Martin said the trust had an understanding with the landowner, the SDHB, that the trust had use of the pool until at least 2028, when the new Dunedin Hospital was due to open.
While the upgrade work was important, the heat exchanger was the priority and the pool would be reopened as soon as possible, he said.
"Our plan for that period is to keep the fundraising campaign going because as it is not a safe place or a viable operation: we have to do that upgrade."
While the length of its lease remained uncertain, Mr Martin said the trust felt is was important to do the upgrade so it was in a good position to keep the pool running after 2028.
"At that time it should be more certain what the future of that site is."
