How do I fix a pool skimmer leak with epoxy putty?

Drain the water a few inches below the crack, clean with a wire brush and pool acid, rinse, and let dry completely. Mix a two-part epoxy pool putty, press it into the crack, smooth it out, and let cure 24 hours before refilling. If the crack is along the skimmer faceplate, remove it, clean the gasket, reapply silicone, and tighten screws evenly. Epoxy handles small cracks; a new gasket fixes loose seals.