City clarifies swim lake safety amid water concerns

WEYAUWEGA – City officials are reassuring the public that the Weyauwega Swim Lake remains safe and fully compliant with state health standards, following recent community questions about seasonal changes in the water’s appearance.

The popular swimming area at Maasch Community Park has seen robust attendance this summer, drawing more than 3,500 visitors as of early this week. However, a recent stretch of hot weather and rainfall caused the water to take on a temporary green hue, prompting some residents to voice concerns on social media.

City officials say the green color is a natural, seasonal occurrence rather than a mechanical failure, and they are working to clear up public misconceptions about how the facility operates.

Water Superintendent Mike Lee, who has managed the facility for nearly seven years, explained that because the one-million-gallon swim lake is open-air, its clarity is highly susceptible to weather conditions. Unlike a standard concrete pool, the lake does not have an automated recirculation or sand filtration system. Instead, it relies on fresh city water treated with high levels of chlorine.

To deal with the seasonal algae and keep the water clean, Lee said he has proactively increased the lake’s chlorination, running the system at about four times its standard daily runtime during recent hot spells.

“It’s tested every day,” Lee said, adding that he has zero safety concerns about the water quality. The city recently renewed its Department of Natural Resources (DNR) permit for the swim lake and continues to operate in strict compliance with all state standards, he said.

Lee noted that a contractor regraded the sand on the lake bed before the season opened, completely clearing away bottom vegetation. While this made the water look exceptionally pristine in June, he said it may have set high aesthetic expectations for residents before the mid-summer heat arrived.

Swim Lake Director Meta Berg and her staff have spent this season focusing on safety and physical upgrades to the park. Mayor Rich Luedke praised the staff’s dedication to maintaining the heavily used facility, noting that the city council is already planning operational adjustments for next year to build on this summer’s lessons.

The swim lake is scheduled to close for the season on Aug. 22. The final week of operation, beginning Monday, will feature unsupervised open swim hours at visitor’s own risk as high school and college lifeguards return to school.