Swimming pools are open under Alert Level 2 with restrictions on facilities and limits on how many people can be at the pool at one time.
But different facilities appear to be enforcing those restrictions very differently.
Moana Pool has a limit of 45 people in the facility, while Alpine Aqualand in Queenstown has a 150-person limit, the Wanaka Recreation Centre pools has a limit of 75 and the Waitaki Aquatic Centre in Oamaru had a limit of 100.
Of the 45 allowed at Moana Pool, only 18 were allowed to swim in lanes.
Dunedin Swim Coaching Board chairman Richard Hutchens said the restrictions were affecting its swimmers who used Moana pool.
Its swimmers were having to adjust their schedule to work around the 45-person limit, with some getting up early to practise before the public arrived.
It had also affected how often they could practise, which was an issue for senior swimmers.
‘‘You don’t get to an Olympic final by compromising.’’
He was grateful to have access to a pool at all and there was no perfect solution to the problem.
However, it would be nice if councils could make it clearer how they arrived at the restrictions.
Many people who contacted the Otago Daily Times said they were unhappy with the restrictions at Moana Pool and did not understand why the rules were different at different pools.
Gary Marks said he found it ‘‘hard to fathom why Moana Pool persists with the current strict arrangement under Level 2’’.
He had asked staff at the pool why the restrictions were so strict, but said the explanations given made no sense.
Neptune Swim Club’s president Mark Familton said its Monday club nights at Moana Pool were unable to go ahead because about 100 people took part, which was above the limit.
The cap was frustrating, but he understood the need for restrictions.
A Queenstown Lakes District Council spokesman said the limits for Alpine Aqualand and the Wanaka Recreation Centre were calculated based on total surface area, which included limits for each individual pool.
Swimming lessons were going ahead, he said.
Waitaki District Council recreation manager Erik van der Spek said the Waitaki Aquatic Centre’s spa pool, diving boards, water slide, rope swing and inflatables were off limits.
Both pools at the centre were open for bookings, he said.
The Alpine Aqualand and Wanaka Recreation Centre guidelines asked customers to shower before their swim. However, showers were off limits at Moana Pool and the Waitaki Aquatic Centre.
A Dunedin City Council spokesman said its limits were based on the need to maintain 2m physical distancing and were consistent with Recreation Aotearoa guidelines, which required facilities to take a cautious and considered approach.
It could not comment on why other pools had fewer restrictions.
The Moana Pool changing rooms were large enough to safely keep open. However, Recreation Aotearoa guidelines recommended keeping showers closed to encourage customers to shower at home.
The council estimated about 13,000 people visited the pool each week before the Alert Level 4 lockdown, compared with about 8000 last week.
