Health, Water Issues Keep Snyder Splash Pad Closed

Facing a severe drought and water restrictions -- as well as problems with the filtration system -- Scurry County officials have announced that the splash pad in Towle Park will not open this year.

The splash pad uses a 3,000-gallon tank to circulate treated water, but new regulations require the water to be changed once a week.

"On Mondays, we drain the tank and put in fresh water," said Parks Department Foreman Tommy Johnson. "That, plus the evaporative loss, is just too much water usage."

Precinct 3 Commissioner Howard Limmer said that in addition to the water usage issue, the current splash pad filtration system is inadequate.

"Last year, we had high water usage, but we had trouble with the purification system," Limmer said. "Our purification system doesn't clean the water properly and it's very unhealthy."

He said that even with adequate rain, the splash pad would not open this year.

"Not until the commissioners' court decides to put a new pump in there," he said of the possibility of reopening the venue. "I know that it gets a lot of use, but we can't open it. It's a hazard to the public."

He said the splash pad would remain closed until the county studies options for replacing the system. While the pool will open as scheduled, there is a possibility that it too could be closed depending on the length of the drought. "It just depends on usage," Johnson said.

"If the Colorado River Municipal Water District (CRMWD) says we're using too much, we will shut it down. We realize this is the only pool in our area and we are going to do what we can. We are a 'go' unless we hear otherwise."

No reservations for the use of the pool for private parties will be taken until April. The reason is for county officials to see if there is any significant rainfall during the early spring.

"The pool needs to be open until we reach the point where a decision has to be made about water use," Limmer said.

Other areas of the park could be affected by the drought, too, including watering. The park uses well water almost exclusively, and the foreman said that crews will do their best to keep the park as green as possible.

"If anybody wants to see what the situation is, just drive out to Lake Thomas," Johnson said. "I would rather drink water than swim in it."

Lake J.B. Thomas is less than 1.5 percent full, and the O.H. Ivie reservoir is just under 18 percent full. Ivie has dropped 12 feet in the past year.

Snyder's daily usage restriction for the spring and summer is 1.8 million gallons per day, just 8 percent above the winter use rate.

Water conservation is on the minds of city councils across West Texas, with Lubbock council members pledging to wait until conditions are dire before enacting pool and hot-tub restrictions.

Midland is considering tweaking its rules to allow for drip irrigation for trees, which supporters say is a more efficient method than hand-held watering with hoses.

CRMWD has informed city officials that Snyder may use groundwater for outside use, but that wells must be on city property and can only be used on city property, such as filling pools and watering parks and golf courses.