A Healthier Beecher Pool Re-Opens

Beecher Road School’s pool re-opened for school and public use earlier this month with an added feature: a UV filter.

The Woodbridge Aquatic Club (WAC) purchased the UV filter for the benefit of the entire community. Recently, WAC board members met First Selectman Ellen Scalettar at the pool to discuss and explain the UV filter.

Woodbridge Aquatic Club (WAC) is a competitive swimming organization for youth ages 5 to 18. WAC also coaches children and youth who do not want to compete but want to swim in a team setting.

WAC practices at Beecher Road School; the pool is also used by school students, and the Amity Regional High School swim teams. The pool is open for public lane swimming before and after school through the Recreation Department.

WAC was fortunate enough to win a drawing to host swim meets at Wesleyan University’s pool three years in a row, they told Scalettar. The swim club earns money through hosting meets and hadn’t planned on the extra income, explained coach Dave Reilly. “We wanted to use the income to do something for the community and the UV filter had unanimous support from the board,” he said.

“The Beecher Road School Community is very appreciative of WAC’s donation of a new filtration system to our pool,” said Woodbridge Superintendent of Schools Dr. Guy Stella. “It was fortunate that we were able to coordinate the installation of the UV filter with the school renovation project. For many years to come, the children of BRS and the citizens of Woodbridge will be the beneficiaries of this generous gift.”

“Commonly, without a UV filter, you use chemicals to get rid of the bacteria in pools. That means you’re swimming with and breathing in chemicals,” says Jade Maoz, a WAC board member. The UV filter kills the bacteria and the viruses in the water while significantly limiting the amount of chlorine needed.

The UV filter disinfects the water without creating disinfection-byproducts such as chloramine which cause the “chlorine smell” common around pools, cause mildew and mold on walls around pools and may exacerbate health problems such as asthma.

“The UV filter has made a huge difference to my son, who has asthma,” says Robin Robinson a WAC board member whose 11 year old daughter and 13 year old son both swim with WAC.

Coach Reilly said that he is only aware of two other pools in the state with a UV filter. And WAC said that they have had increased membership since the filter’s installation.

“This is also saving the Town money on chlorine and staff time spent cleaning the pool” said Scalettar. “I’d like to thank all of you for investing in Beecher Road School’s pool with this UV filter which is creating a healthier environment for the swimmers and the staff and students.”

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