Three months to the day after being closed due to a suspected leak, the Homestead Aquatics Center pool is scheduled to reopen later this month.
The pool was closed on January 17 due to a suspected leak that officials said may have been present since November 2016.
The facility saw a spike in water consumption that led staff to explore possibilities and search for any leaks. While the initial notification said there was no estimates of when the facility would reopen, a subsequent release projected a mid-February open.
The work finding the leak proved to be more extensive that anticipated, leading to continued delays.
“We want to thank the community for its patience during the repair,” Parks and Recreation Director Jim Orr said in a release. “We’d also like to say a special thank you to the community partners that allowed special use in their facilities during our closure: Hollow Rock, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA, the Orange County Sportsplex, and the Bowman Gray Memorial Pool on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill. We understand some of you had to change your routine during this time, and we appreciate your flexibility.”
Officials say the Orange County Health Department has given “tentative approval” to reopen the facility once a full inspection is conducted. Although those inspections are normally done twice a year, the completion of the upcoming inspection could allow for the facility to reopen at 5:30 Monday morning, April 17, and then operate on a regular schedule.
Additional work is required to complete the repair and the contractor performing that duty is not available “until eight weeks from now,” according to a release. To accommodate that schedule while still opening the facility, a wall has been constructed to separate the repair site and the public access point. Officials say the wall has been approved by the health department.
Related Stories
‹

Chapel Hill's Homestead Aquatic Center Closed For Two WeeksThe Homestead Aquatic Center in Chapel Hill will be closed for two weeks due to annual maintenance. The Town of Chapel Hill shared a release on Thursday saying the center will be closed beginning Monday, February 10, through Sunday, February 23. It said the maintenance is routine procedures, but will include “some needed repairs.” According […]

Homestead Aquatic Center to Close for Routine MaintenanceChapel Hill’s Homestead Aquatic Center will be closing from March 12 through April 1 for routine maintenance and repairs. The pool closed for three months last year due to a leak that officials had extensive difficulty finding. The Chapel Hill Community Center Pool, located at 120 S. Estes Drive, will operate on a modified schedule […]

Town of Chapel Hill Investing in Energy EfficiencyThe Town of Chapel Hill has recently completed a project to install a new HVAC system in Town Hall, effectively bringing down average daily energy consumption 39 percent in the building. This project is part of a performance contract that the town has with a contractor to improve energy efficiency in the town’s three most […]
![]()
The Morning News: Men's Basketball Collapse, Women's Basketball Hosts, Local Climate ActionAndrew Stuckey fills in for Aaron Keck reporting today's news: the UNC Men's Basketball team suffers an historic collapse in the round of 64 against VCU. Also: both Carrboro and Orange County took action on climate change during their meetings on Tuesday night; women's basketball prepares to host Western Illinois in NCAA Tournament action tonight; Hillsborough mourns the loss of former commissioner Ken Chavious, and more.
![]()
Chapel Hill: Storm Water Plan, Budget Conversations, Remembering Mae McClendonChapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, March 19, discussing town news and events. She recapped the most recent meeting of the Chapel Hill Town Council, which included discussion of the town's stormwater plan, early budget conversations for 2026, and more. She also discussed the life and legacy of community legend Mae McClendon, who passed away earlier this week. She also previewed upcoming town events, and more.
![]()
The Evening News: Primary Recount, Dodging Thunderstorms, NCAA Tournament BracketsThe Hill's Andrew Stuckey presents the evening news. Included in this edition of the news, we hear from County Commissioner Earl McKee on his decision to request a recount in his election loss to Beth Bronson. We discuss the weather, which resulted very little thunderstorm activity. We also get the NCAA bracket reveal, which sees the men's team with a six seed and a matchup with VCU. The women's team earned a four seed and will host Western Illinois.

Chapel Hill's South Creek Neighborhood Celebrates Construction Milestone, Announces First Business TenantThe development team for the future South Creek neighborhood in Chapel Hill gathered on Wednesday for a ceremony recognizing a milestone in the project: the completion of the first full building structure on the site.

UNC-Founded Eats2Seats to Create Entrepreneurial 'Third Space' with New Franklin Street Headquarter'Growing from a class project to a nationwide business, Eats2Seats recently celebrated the decision to keep its headquarters local.
![]()
The Evening News: Graig Meyer on Leaving State Senate, Hubert Davis on ACC TournamentThe Hill's Andrew Stuckey presents the afternoon news. Included in this edition, we hear from outgoing State Senator Graig Meyer on his decision to leave and the process to replace him. We hear a Carolina Connection story on UNC students who were in Milan covering the Winter Olympics. In sports, we hear from UNC Basketball Head Coach Hubert Davis ahead of their first game in this year's ACC Tournament coming up tonight, and more.
![]()
Chapel Hill: News Bus Grant, Ribbon Cuttings, Police Chief HonoredChapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, March 12, discussing town news and events. She discussed the recently opened State Senate and the implications for the town. She talked about a grant the town recently received to upgrade the bus fleet for Chapel Hill Transit, a couple of recent ribbon-cutting milestones, an honor for Police Chief Celisa Lehew, and more.
›