The school has suffered through a number of temporary closures in the past two years.

But, this time, the hospital is giving no guarantee it will open the pool again.

Worse still, the school’s backup pool at SportUNE is also closed.

Squirts owner Monica Harper said having both pools shut was having a big impact on her business.

“It was always a big impact [when the hydrotherapy pool closed], but this is the biggest now that both pools are closed at once,” she said.

The school has resorted to teaching its youngest students at Ms Harper’s home pool in order to continue their lessons.

“The hydrotherapy pool is ideal for young kids because of the temperature and the depth,” Ms Harper said.

“We’re very lucky to have such understanding families.”  

More than 400 students and nine instructors rely on the pool, as do physiotherapy patients, cancer patients, and elderly swim groups.

Pool manager and the hospital’s head of physiotherapy, Gemma Model, said the water quality did not meet regulations so the organisation had no choice other than to close.

“Immuno-compromised and elderly patients use the pool for rehabilitation,” she said.

“There was just no way we could stay open.”

Squirts students are also using the Monckton Aquatic Centre for classes, and the swim squad is using the The Armidale School’s pool.

But, come winter, there will only be one pool available in town.

“We really hope the hydrotherapy pool will be reopened as soon as possible,” Ms Harper said.

“The Harwood Swim School run their classes at TAS at the same time as us, so it would get pretty cramped over there.

“We are still exploring all other options to find the best solution for our students.”

The school hopes to learn more about the fate of the hydrotherapy pool from Hunter New England Health in the next few weeks.