RAHWAY, N.J. - The most common complaint of swimmers entering a pool is "cold" water, but summertime swimmers at Rahway Branch YMCA typically complained that the 200,000-gallon indoor pool was too hot.
The 42- by 75-foot pool's water would start a hot summer day at the desired setpoint of 84 degrees F, but water temperatures regularly climbed past 90 degrees. After ruling out other causes, it was determined that the water's temperature would rise because there was no air conditioning or modern mechanical dehumidification in the natatorium. In short, the pool water had turned into a heat sink for the surrounding air.