Bartlesville's city-owned Frontier and Sooner swimming pools and all city-owned splash pads remain closed due to drought conditions and declining overall water supply.

 Bartlesville officials say Stage 4 of the Water Shortage Ordinance bans all outdoor water use and requires that city-owned pools be closed. The city will enter Stage 4 when overall water supply hits 50 percent or below — a number that, without sizable rains between now and then, is expected to occur as early as next month.

 The city normally open the pools on Memorial Day weekend, but given the need to conserve water and the likelihood that the area will enter Stage 4 restrictions in mere weeks, the decision was made to keep them closed until the situation improves.

 If the watershed areas for Hulah and Copan lakes in Southeast Kansas receive enough rain in time to open the pools this season, the city will work with the Richard Kane YMCA, which manages and operates the City-owned pools, to get the pools opened as quickly as possible.

 YMCA officials say it would take about two weeks to hire staff and ready the pools for opening.