Councils turn down swimming pool temperatures to cut energy costs
Some 15 per cent of councils have turned down the temperature of pools they run across leisure centres and other facilities since 2020, according to a Freedom of Information (FOI) response.
The Local Government Association (LGA) linked the reduction to the financially 'fragile position' of authorities.
Five of the authorities laid part of the blame on sustainability and net zero targets, the BBC reported, with critics saying they feared it could put people off swimming.
Tiffany Watson, who used to swim to help her muscular dystrophy, which is muscle weakness that worsens over time, urged councils to reconsider the move.
Out of 256 councils across the country, 39 admitted they had reduced the temperature of their pools in the past five years.
Some 33 local councils had reduced it permanently, in at least one main pool, or a learner pool.
However, no council lowered the temperature below the guidelines issued by the Pool and Water Treatment Advisory Group, the standards body for swimming pools in the UK.
South West England had the highest percentage of councils that had reduced their pool temperatures, with 27 per cent of authorities making the change.
More than 30 of the local authorities admitted they had done so due to energy price hikes following the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
The price of electricity has risen since 2019, more than doubling in that period from 12.9 p/kWh to 28.39 p/kWh in 2023.
A spokesperson for the LGA said that 'rising energy and operational costs' had forced councils to reduce, or close altogether, their leisure facilities.
A Department of Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson said the government was 'absolutely committed to building a healthier nation and reducing pressure on our NHS'.
The department said that they were working with the sport and leisure sector as part of a £400m pledge to support grass roots facilities, promote 'health, wellbeing and community cohesion' and help 'remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups'.
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