For the second time since September, the Venice High pool is in danger of being shut down. In the fall, a broken water heater caused the pool to be closed for nearly two months. Now, leaky pipes may cause the pool to be completely shut down.

The pool remained open to the water polo team and swim classes for a couple of weeks in the fall. However if the pool was closed now it would be completely shut down indefinitely.

Citywide investigations have already forced the closure of Birmingham and Palisades High Schools' pools, and may force other pools to be closed too.

Sophie Sabbah, the coach of the Venice High swim team, said that Venice's pool was going to be investigated sometime in March. The investigation would likely lead to the closure of Venice's pool, which would pose a tremendous problem for the highly ranked Gondo swim team. However, the investigation was postponed.

Coach Sabbah said that the pool wastes a lot of water because the pipes, and the pool itself, are old. The pool was built in the 1960s, and according to coach Sabbah the pipes have not been repaired in the last 10 years.

If the pool had been closed, it would have forced the Venice swim team to practice at another pool, which would have devastating implications for the team.

Coach Sabbah said that a closure would have forced her to cut the 90-member swim team nearly in half, and likely would force them to practice at odd hours, because many local pools are not available during the regular practice time.

"There goes our dreams of a city championship," said Coach Sabbah.

Venice, which has one of the top swim teams in the city, would not be the only top-flight swim team to be affected by a pool closure.

Birmingham High School, the reigning city champion in water polo, and Palisades, last year's city champion swim team, have both had their pools closed this year because of leaky pipes.

On Monday, Palisades High had to hold a swim meet at Venice because their pool had been closed. Coach Sabbah said that she hoped that it would not become routine for Venice to host swim meets for other schools, because it cuts into their own practice time.

Coach Sabbah said that she does not know when the investigation will take place, but she hopes it can be postponed until after the swim season ends in May.