The Keller ISD natatorium will receive new water filters later this year following the school board’s approval of a $357,000 purchase to replace the filters at a June 11 trustee meeting.
The natatorium closed in mid-May after filter failures created unsafe swimming conditions, Deputy Superintendent John Allison said at a May 14 KISD meeting.
The details
Trustees approved the funds to replace all six water filters at the natatorium. The purchase only includes the filters and not the additional work required to install them, like removing portions of the wall to gain access to the filters.
The total cost to replace the filters will be about $500,000, according to district documents.
Allison said the filters have a 3-4 month lead time, and he expects the new filters to be installed and for the natatorium to reopen in the fall.
“The goal would be to have the natatorium up and running by the end of September [or] first of October,” Allison said.
Zooming out
In addition to the new filters, the natatorium also requires a new dehumidifier, called a Dectron unit, to remove chlorine and moisture from the air and protect the building’s HVAC system. KISD allocated about $1.6 million for the dehumidifier at the May 14 meeting.
The dehumidifier was not on the agenda at the June 11 meeting because engineers are still working on their recommendations for the new unit, Superintendent Cory Wilson said.
Looking ahead
The district is currently receiving bids on the wall removal at the natatorium to facilitate the filter installations.
Allison expects the wall removal to cost under $150,000 and said the filter replacement will total between $457,000 and $507,000.
