As you may know, Governor McMaster announced that pools in South Carolina could re-open. DHEC has provided operational guidelines that we will be following to facilitate social distancing and sanitary conditions. We have formulated a game plan that is in accordance with these guidelines in an attempt to give members access to our great pool while keeping members, guests and staff as safe as possible.
The protocols described below will be evaluated every two weeks, and adjusted as needed to reflect any evolution in the status quo. This is uncharted territory, and we are eager to make all the right choices as things evolve. With luck, protocols that seem restrictive now will be loosened if the presence of disease in our community diminishes.
Attendance
COVID-19 does not survive in chlorinated water, so it is not considered a water-borne illness. However, DHEC has specified limitations for use based on size of pool and deck space. It has been determined that 75 people can use the pool safely if they follow personal social distancing from non-family members.
Block Scheduling
To ensure that we have no more than 75 bathers at the pool at a time, we are starting the season with block scheduling of pool attendance. Booking slots will be 3 hours in length. In this manner, we can accommodate up to 225 swimmers daily. At the end of each block, the pool and deck will be cleared of all members and guests, and all member-used surfaces will be sprayed and wiped down with a commercial grade sanitizer. This process will include:
- All tables, chairs and loungers.
- All railings and ladders above water.
- Bathrooms (vanities, toilets, faucets, doors, chairs, etc).
- Guard shack counters.
- Water fountains.
- Fence gates.
- Etc.
You may schedule your pool booking up to two days in advance, and will be limited to one booking per day. You may schedule additional blocks on the same day ONLY if there are openings at the start of that block time. The schedule blocks will be:
- 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
- 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm
- 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
We will send out more information on booking your reservations next week. Stay tuned!!!