Steel panels for Paraparaumu's hydroslide stairwell

STEP BY STEP: The stairwell to the Coastlands Aquatic Centre's hydroslide.

Toughened safety glass panels in the balustrade of the Coastlands Aquatic Centre's hydroslide stairwell will be replaced with steel panels.

The popular hydroslide has been off limits to the public since February 15 after one of the glass panels exploded.

Fortunately the explosion happened early in the evening when the hydroslide was not in use and there was no one in the vicinity.

"The options we've been given for the panel failure was either from impact, and it wouldn't have necessarily happened straight away, it could have happened over time, or the building settling down has caused tension on the glass and its got to the point where it can't stand it any longer," council's parks and recreation manager Alison Law said.

The supply company inspected the panels and council also got advice that the other panels potentially could do the same thing.

"So that's when we made the decision that we wanted to keep it closed until it was completely fixed because we didn't want that risk again."

Council looked at various replacement options, which didn't include glass, and have come up with a solution.

"It's going to be perforated metal panels."

"Each [a total of 23 panels] will have to be individually measured and cut to size.

"We've given the go ahead for all that work to start.

"The panels are at a cost of $12,000 plus GST and I'm just waiting on costs for installation.

"I think all up it's going to be around the $30,000 but we don't know for sure."

Ms Law hoped the hydroslide would reopen for the school holidays starting on April 18.

"But it will be around April 8 when I have a much better idea because that's when the manufacturers of the steel panels should have finished.

"But it also depends on the construction company being able to fit us in in their programme at reasonably short notice.

"Ideally for school holidays but it won't be until a week before that I'll know whether that's doable or not."

And council was investigating the glass panel breakage and "what we need to do to get to the bottom of it".