The 50 metre pool at Gosford Olympic Pool is scheduled to reopen on Saturday, September 30 -- renovated, sparkling clean and refilled without depleting any town water supplies. 

About half of the pool's 1.5 million litres of water was drawn from rainwater tanks at Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium, with the remainder from recycled water used during Council's recent mains cleaning program.  

The pool was also topped up naturally by the recent heavy rains. 

Gosford pool's water has now been filtered and chemically treated to ensure it meets the required standards set by the NSW Department of Health. At the same time, it is regularly vacuumed to further enhance the clarity and quality of its water. 

When Gosford pool was originally emptied for renovations its water was transported to the Somersby Water Treatment Plant as part of Gosford and Wyong Council's recently launched water banking system. 

The new system, which came into effect on September 1, is designed to minimise loss of employment in the pool/spa installation/maintenance and turf supply industries during the current drought.

One million litres of the original pool water was made available for general use as part of Gosford's normal water supply. The other half a million litres was credited to the Gosford  pool to use as and when needed under the water banking system. 

Just as with private pool users in the region, Gosford pool will be backwashed regularly to ensure it continues to operate effectively. It also loses water due to evaporation. When the pool requires topping up it will be able to draw against its water banking credits. 

As with all larger water users under Level 3 and Level 4 restrictions, Gosford Pool has also implemented a water management plan to ensure it achieves significant reductions in water use compared to pre-restriction times. 

Gosford Olympic Supervisor, Maurice Eames, said some regular lap swimmers had already had a "preview" of the pool and given it their seal of approval.

Gosford Stingray Swimming Club members, Maddie Carrier (left), 10, of Saratoga, and Maddie Sheppard, 9, of Green Point, enjoying the re-opened Gosford pool.