More splash, fewer bubbles, please

More splash, fewer bubbles, please

People are being urged not to bring soap to the splash pad at Jubilee Park – leave it in the bath at home – as it’s causing costly shutdowns.

The Splash Pad (above) which opened in 2022 and cost almost half a million dollars to install, has already been shut down three times this summer. The most recent closure was due to someone using hand soap in and around the pad, while the previous two closures were due to unforeseen technical issues.

Each time soap gets into the splash pad’s water circulation system it has to be shut down and a large amount of water is needed to flush out the bubbles at a time when water restrictions are in force.

Horowhenua District Council chief executive Monique Davidson said the Splash Pad had to close three times last summer due to the introduction of bubbles into the system.

“While we’re unsure who is responsible for doing this, we’d like to remind the community that bubble liquid has no place at the Jubilee Park Splash Pad – leave it in the bath at home,” she said.

“When this happens, our team is required to drop what they’re doing at our other facilities to resolve the problem, which can take some time.

“…there is a requirement to empty the tank and flush the system, which can certainly be time consuming. Reopening time also depends on staff availability to respond, which at times, can be limited.”

The process can take up to six hours to fix and is estimated to cost up to $1000 each time, taking into account staff time, chemicals, water, and cleaning equipment, she said.

“The splash pad is not designed for this purpose and there is a risk of further damage to plant equipment occurring, which may result in significant repair costs and downtime.

“Our message to the community is this: We know that families love to use the Jubilee Park Splash Pad and the last thing we want to do is close it due to people purposely using bubble mixture. Please don’t ruin it for the rest of the community, especially on some of the hotter days we’ve been having lately.”

The pump system reticulates and cleans the water stored in a tank underneath the pad, which requires 14,000 litres to refill.