Perth Voice Interactive

MARIE WYLIE is giving Bayswater Waves the third degree—over 1.5 degrees.

The 65-year-old has submitted a 51-signature petition to Bayswater city council asking for the Waves’ 25-metre lap pool to be kept at 31.5 degrees all year round.

The council currently keeps it at 31.5 in winter but drops it to 30 in summer.

Ms Wylie suffers osteoarthritis and walks in the lap pool as she is unable to exercise on hard surfaces.

“Over the years there have been various problems with the boilers resulting in fluctuating water temperatures, which we accepted even if we are not happy about it.” she wrote to council.

“…Our concerns to staff members seem to have fallen on deaf ears although we have been told that our concerns had been passed on to higher management.

“The cooler water adversely affects our joints, etc. making exercise sometimes quite uncomfortable.”

Ms Wylie, who lives in Stirling but has been a Waves member since 2003, added that some cubicles in the female changing rooms were also in need of maintenance.

Council staff argued that increasing the temperature of the pool would make life sweaty for the other 450 people who use the pool for swimming and aqua aerobics.

“Bayswater staff try to strike a balance in the temperature of the pool that does not adversely affect any particular group,” wrote council officers.

“If a pool is operated at a higher temperature there is an increased risk of excessive bacteria and amoeba.”

Council officers recommended lowering the temperature in the summer.

The motion comes before council later this month.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK