The heat exchanger to repair the Orchard Mesa Pool boiler arrived and Monument Mechanical repair technicians have been working with city staff to get the boiler up and running again to heat the pool for swimmers.
Since November 14, several fixes were made to fittings, thermostats, valves, and sensors but did not result in the boiler working. Once those repairs were made the boiler still would not heat, and it was determined that a new heat exchanger was needed. The most recent repair effort got the boiler firing and heating; however, because of a leaking heat exchanger, it would not stay running to heat the pool. A full boiler replacement was contemplated but the lead time was well beyond the time it has taken to fix the boiler.
The new heat exchanger allows the boiler to heat the pool and raise the temperature to a safe level so Orchard Mesa Pool can be reopened. The total cost for all parts and labor is expected to be about $15,000.
The city’s efforts to maintain the Orchard Mesa Pool have kept it operational for almost 40 years but much of the aging equipment and systems have exceeded their useful life. The pool boiler has been replaced since the facility was built and is just an example of those aging systems. Concerns also exist for the aged filtration, HVAC, mechanical, and electrical systems. For example, the pool plaster typically has a useable life of 15 years but because city staff has continued to clean the pool and maintain appropriate pool chemistry, the pool has only needed to be replastered twice in the past 40 years.
The Orchard Mesa Pool will reopen for normal operation on Monday, January 16. Additional updates will be posted to Grand Junction Parks and Recreation social media accounts including Facebook and Instagram.