This swimming pool was located at a bankrupt hotel on the outskirts of Aspen Colorado. The company for which I worked had purchased the property from the Resolution Trust with the intent of re-establishing the property as a ski resort. The problem with the swimming pool was that it had been left drained during a spring run-off period.
Each spring, snow melts on the mountain tops and runs downhill in rivers, streams and in the ground water. Consequently, the ground water table rises dramatically during the spring run-off. Once the mountain snow has melted, the level of the ground water drops again to normal levels.
The pool had floated about five inches. The concrete pool deck was cracked and sloped upward toward the pool edge. Electrical conduits were pulled away from the junction boxes and no pipe passed a pressure test.
The swimming pool was the focal point of the restaurant view,and patio doors opened onto the pool deck from the hotel lobby. Therefore, the five inch elevation of the swimming pool was not acceptable to the designers. If we were to elevate the deck to match the pool, it would make for trip hazards as well as steps at the patio doors. That would mean that the pool deck would drain rain water into the hotel. Clearly, that would be unacceptable. It was pretty much a choice between trying to sink the pool or abandon it and pave it over. It was decided to try and sink the pool back to it's original depth using the same force that floated the pool in the first place--ground water.
Prior to spring run-off, we made the pool water-tight by caulking cracks and sealing holes with sealing compound We plugged the drains and skimmer intakes with plumbers test plugs. Then, we filled the pool with water, crossed our fingers and waited.
When the spring run-off was in full flow, we noticed the pool starting to move back down. Presumably the water flowing underground was moving the soil and the pool was settling back into it's original position. By measuring the ever growing gap between the top of the pool and the dislodged pool deck, we could check on it's progress. As the pool reached its final destination, we were able to control its descent by adding or removing water. The final pool elevation was confirmed with the use of a surveyor's level. The pool ended up a little out of level; about 1/2 inch right to left and 3/4 inch front to back. But that amount off-level could easily be taken up when we poured the new pool deck. Again, we kept an eye on the level, crossed our fingers and waited for spring run-off to finish.
We dug a test well to gauge the underground water level. When the water table dropped below nine feet from the surface, we could safely drain the pool. Then the repair work began. We removed the broken concrete deck and dug some holes to expose the pool piping and wiring. The one pipe we were most worried about - the main drain at the bottom of the deep end - was broken in a spot a between the pool and the hotel where it was accessible and not under the pool where it would be serious problem to repair. (That was just good luck!) All the other pipes and wires were repaired as well. Redundant grounding and ground-fault interrupters were added per Colorado Code.
With all piping now passing pressure testing and all the wiring fixed, it was time to pour a new pool deck. The designers specified a red concrete with broom finish. Brass depth numbers were pressed into the concrete at the pools edge. A row of new white tile was all that was needed to bring the pool edge to the pool deck. The pool itself needed some plaster work to repair the cracks and holes. Instead of taking the pool down to gunnite and completely re-plastering, we elected to repair the cracks and holes and to paint the pool walls with a two-part epoxy pool paint. This was done as a temporary cost cutting measure. We reasoned we could always come back at some future date and re-do the pool walls "the right way" when we had the money.
As far as the pump house equipment was concerned, there was a lot of "deferred maintenance" when the hotel was bankrupt. The condition of the equipment was marginal. But we elected to go as far as we could with what we had and replace equipment on an "as needed" basis through the operation's maintenance budget instead of "up-front" replacement through the renovation budget. But the equipment didn't last very long. Through the course of the summer season, both pumps, the sand filter and the chlorinator had to be replaced as well as the backwash valves. The following winter, the heater finally ruptured and was replaced.
And... here is what the pool looked like when we completed the job. New deck chairs, chaise lounges, tables, planters complete the inviting scene. Besides giving the pool a sense of depth, the blue paint job actually paid for itself in the first summer by trapping solar energy .
