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Good Intentions are Not Enough

by Dr. Dale Rummer

Los Angeles built two public swimming pool, utilizing epoxy coated rebar for the steel structural reinforcing. The builders used a small quantity of standard uncoated rebar around the pool edges for bonding and grounding of all electrical apparatus around the pool. Because of the highly improbable conjunction of serious voltage surges on the related electrical distribution systems, together with swimmers in critical locations in these pools, a serious electrical design flaw existed.

The use of epoxy coated rebar for the majority of the steel reinforcing prevented having an adequate electrical grounding structure around the pool, and the voltage surges caused dangerous differences in potential to be created in certain portions of the water in the pool. The conclusion of the investigation into this problem was that both the Cleveland and the Westwood pools must be completely rebuilt. The new design calls for zinc-coated rebar, to provide adequate electrical bonding of the rebar cage and to insure protection of the rebar against corrosion in the complete rebuilding of these two pools. Zinc-coated rebar costs about three times that of uncoated rebar.

See Aquatics International - September/October 1999