DENVER — A swimming pool in northwest Denver has been closed indefinitely after the city said it was leaking more than 16,000 gallons of water a day, leaving families without a neighborhood pool just as summer heat intensifies and Denver remains under Stage 1 drought restrictions.
Denver Parks and Recreation said staff found the leak at the Aztlan Outdoor Pool during routine pre-season maintenance. DPR did not answer Denver7's questions about when the leak was discovered or how long the pool had been losing water.
▶️ WATCH: Denver7's Maggie Bryan talks with families and officials after a massive leak forces the closure of Aztlan Pool
Brigitte Cordova, who takes her great grandchildren to the pool every day in the summer, said the closure hits hard in a neighborhood with many children and families who see the recreation center pool as a neighborhood lifeline.
"A lot of single moms, a lot of families that don't have a whole lot," Cordova said. "This center is like the heart of this area. There is another pool, but it's a little way, it's not walking distance from here, so I mean, if you got a car, you can drive, but families, single moms, people that don't have vehicles, it's impossible for the kids to go."
Dawn, whose kids enjoy the pool during the summer, said its affordability and convenience made it essential for many residents.
"It was just nice. It was convenient, it was nice," she said. "This was a good opportunity for people."
DPR said $15 million from the voter-approved Vibrant Denver Bond had already been set aside to fully replace the Aztlan pool. DPR did not give a timeline for when the project would begin, but said they are working to move construction forward as quickly as possible.
Denver7 reached out to Denver Water about the massive pool leak to ask if DPR would face any fines or consequences as Denver remains under Stage 1 water restrictions forcing residents to cut down on watering their lawns.
Denver Water said DPR is one of its large irrigation customers operating under an approved water budget agreement that requires a 20% reduction in water use "under a high level of scrutiny." Denver Water said water budget customers are subject to drought pricing and fines for exceeding their agreed-upon water use.
Travis Thompson, a spokesperson for Denver Water, said they are not looking to punish customers for having a leak, and instead praised DPR for acting when the problem was found.
"These customers are under a high level of scrutiny as they sign a contract stating they must make a 20% reduction in their water use over the course of the contract," Thompson said. "They are billed an additional fee for any water use that exceeds the agreed-upon amount in their contract. It’s a real commitment these organizations are making."
DPR acknowledged the impact the closure will have on the community in a statement to Denver7.
"For generations, the Aztlan Outdoor Pool has been more than a place to cool off, it has been a gathering place where children learn to swim, families spend time together, and neighbors build community," DPR spokesperson Stephanie Figueroa said.
In the meantime, DPR said nearby public pools, including Ashland and Berkeley Pool, will remain open throughout the summer, and the community will receive updates about the Aztlan pool rebuild.
"They take it away or anything happens to it, then they gotta go elsewhere, which a lot of them don't have transportation," Donald Baca, whose kids grew up going to the Aztlan pool, said.
Cordova said she is skeptical the work to replace the pool will happen soon.
"In my eyes, it's probably not going to get done for years," she said. "My question is, you're agreeing to put a new pool, but how long is this going to take?"
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