What's Up With That?

Did you ever walk by a Reston Association pool this time of year and see it filled most of the way with murky water?

That is part of the winterizing process, currently underway. RA pools are left partially filled for a reason, says Laura Kowalski, the association's director of aquatics.

"One main reason we leave water in the pool is if we were to drain it all the way, and the ground around it got really saturated, the pool could actually become like a boat and start floating," she said. 

But Kowalski says the pools shouldn't have too much water in them, because that could also cause damage. Since water expands when it freezes, it can cause damage to the pool, plumbing and the filter system,  Kowalski said.

To winterize, the water level is lowered below the lights. This eliminates damage to the tile line and skimmers.

The pool maintenance staff also blows out the water from the plumbing lines that lead to sinks, showers, toilets and pool pipes. The pipes are then diassembled and put back together again after the winter.

Other offseason pool projects: new siding on the bath house; Upgraded cabinets at and new deck lighting at