Millicent Swimming Lake set for major upgrades as council looks to rebuild pool and fix leaking floor

Major upgrades are in line for a South-East swimming pool, which has been leaking for years – with council staff not realising because they were misreading the water meter.

The Millicent Swimming Lake has been leaking for years and is set for major upgrades. Picture: Wattle Range Council

A popular swimming spot in the state’s South-East is set for a major $740,000 reconstruction as the local council seeks to rectify problems that have cost them potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years.

The Millicent Swimming Lake is set to lose its sandy beach and diving platform as part of much-needed reconstruction initially scheduled to take place during summer.

The repairs were postponed when Wattle Range councillors were swayed to keep the lake open during the summer holidays after pleas from local families and businesses who lamented the potential loss of such a big summer attraction.

It cost the council an estimated $100,000 to refill and maintain the damaged lake over the summer, with $150,000 already allocated for the lake’s operation before the need for reconstruction was identified.

In 2023 it was discovered excessive amounts of water, potentially millions of litres over the years, had been leaking from the lake because of its compromised bitumen floor.

The problem went unnoticed for years, potentially a decade, as staff were incorrectly reading the water meter – unaware the displayed amount had to be multiplied by 10 to work out the true water use.

This error in reading the meter resulted in the Wattle Range Council not being aware of the quantum of water use at the lake.

The Millicent swimming lake is set to lose its sandy beach and bitumen flooring with the local council looking to refurbish the 54-year-old facility. Picture: Wattle Range Council

Once the problem was identified, the council allocated a significant amount of money in the 2023/24 budget to address the issue and decided the most effective solution would be to reshape and replace the current floor with concrete.

In addition to the damaged floor, council also acknowledged much of the lake pipe work and associated equipment is outdated and in an unknown condition.

Consequently, reconstructing the lake presents an opportunity to modernise and automate the pipe and filtration systems, ideally reducing maintenance costs, improve efficiencies and minimise risks associated with ongoing compliance.

Therefore, as well as the new bottom, reconstruction of the 54-year-old lake now involves installation of a new pipe system, two new filtration islands doubling as replacements for the old diving board, improved swimming lanes and new touch platform, and improved disability access, which includes handrails and appropriate flooring.

The children’s area of the pool will also be redone with a slip-resistant floor, improved sunshades and a new fence.

As of September 2023, the budget allocation of this swimming lake reconstruction project was $739,000.

At the Wattle Range Council’s monthly meeting last Tuesday, councillors voted to extend the operation of the swimming lake until council appoints a contractor to reconstruct it.

The swimming lake is set to remain open until the end of February, giving local schools the opportunity to hold swimming lessons and carnivals.

Council chief executive Ben Gower provided a verbal report from the consultant engineers at the February meeting, going over the benefits the new concrete floor will have for the lake – including limiting pipe blockages.

He said he would call a special council meeting with respect to the swimming lake reconstruction.

Council aims to appoint a preferred contractor by end of March 2024.

That contractor will then be required to begin works in April.