The swimming pools in Kaitangata and Lawrence may be offered to those two communities to run under details contained in the Clutha District Council's draft long-term council community plan.
But that would be after more than $500,000 is spent upgrading both facilities.
The council runs four pools - at Balclutha, Milton, Kaitangata and Lawrence - but is thinking about divesting the latter two into community hands and retaining pools in its two largest centres.
It wants feedback from Kaitangata and Lawrence ratepayers about the prospects of owning their own pools.
The council would continue to help with annual operating grants, which could save ratepayers in those towns $60 and $53 respectively each year.
Before the pools changed hands, some significant developments might take place at both.
A meeting next month will debate whether Lawrence wants to build a new swimming pool.
The council has set aside $227,000 for a new roof, filter and pump there over the next two years but that money may yet go towards a new facility.
At Kaitangata, it has budgeted $380,000 for a new filter pump (2015-16 year) and $262,000 to replace the roof in the 2018-19 year.
The issue of owning swimming pools is expected to come to a head as the council balances the need to provide such facilities against the rising cost of providing the service.
In the past year, the council budgeted to spend $616,000 on its four pools, the bulk of that money (70%) coming from rates while just 12% came from users.
