A crack that closed Dargaville's indoor swimming pool last week has reportedly repaired itself.
Last week the Kauri Coast Community Pool Trust, which is responsible for the operation of the pool, announced the pool floor had bulged and cracked after the water had been drained as part of preparations for the planned seasonal opening at Labour Weekend.
The trust had recently commissioned Community Leisure Management to get the pool ready and to run it for the coming season.
But the community pool will open after all, after an engineer said it had rejoined itself and was holding water.
The pool had been expected to open for the season at Labour Weekend.
Late on Thursday afternoon following a site investigation involving the engineer and the pool's construction company, it was announced an opening delay of only a week or two is now expected.
A Kaipara District Council spokesperson said after ground water was pumped away from the site, the pool had settled to within 8mm of its build level.
Kauri Coast Community Pool Trust chairman Vern Stevens said, "You can imagine my surprise when on closer investigation the crack had disappeared, levelling the bottom of the pool and the water that remained in it - it was a huge relief."
Hydrostatic pressure is being blamed for stressing the floor, which also placed pressure on the bulkhead causing it to break away from one side of the pool.
Community Spaces manager Thomas Patterson said that when the pool is filled it would likely level out even more and return to its build level.
"Investigations will continue into what caused this so it doesn't happen again," he said.
It is now planned to pressure test the pool and "seal the 'non-crack' - should it require it". Normal pre-season maintenance was continuing.
Kaipara's chief executive, Jack McKerchar acknowledged those who rallied around to address the problem thanking them for their prompt and professional approach to what was looking like a major disaster for the trust, the community and the pool.
The $6 million pool opened in January 2010 for the summer and then reopened in October 2010 for its first full season which ended in April.
Although it has been a hit with residents - reaching the targeted 32,000 number of users - problems with the solar system resulted in larger than expected power costs. More than $60,000 of the operational shortfall is for power charges owed.
The trust blames new pool safety regulations which demanded increased staffing numbers and wages, higher-than-expected insurance and repairs and maintenance costs for the rest of the $35,000 shortfall.