Articles
Comparing the Operating Costs of Calcium Hypochlorite and Trichlor
07.28.2020
Aquatics International | By Karllee Barton | September 2019
The choice of sanitizer can significantly impact the costs of operating a large aquatics facility. This article addresses potential costs associated with two commonly used sanitizers: calcium hypochlorite (or cal hypo) and trichloroisocyanuric acid (or trichlor). When these chemicals are added to pool water, they clearly increase available chlorine, however they also affect pH, alkalinity and …
How to Prevent Chlorine Gas Incidents in Automatically Fed Swimming Pools
07.28.2020
Pool & Spa News | By Rebecca Robledo | December 2019
When you see the term “chemical gas incident,” do you immediately assume this doesn’t apply to the commercial pools you design, build, maintain or operate? If so, read on. Chemical gas incidents can be difficult to describe and understand. For this reason, people misconstrue how these incidents occur. Here, learn about what causes them and how they can be avoided. Not what…
How to Understand the Latest CDC Warnings About Waterborne Illnesses
07.28.2020
Pool & Spa News | Brought to you by CMP
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) released a statement with some alarming statistics about cryptosporidium. There’s been an average 13% annual increase in crypto outbreaks from 2009-2017. Crypto is a resilient parasite found in swimming pools that causes severe intestinal problems. The effects can be even worse for the very young, old or anyone with a compromised immu…
MAHC Committee Recommends New CYA Approach
07.28.2020
Pool & Spa News | By Rebecca Robledo | August 2019
After exploring the matter for four years, a committee of the organization that writes the Model Aquatic Health Code has established a new position on appropriate levels of cyanuric acid (CYA) in pools. As with the industry in general, the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code has wrestled with the double-edged sword of CYA: Long considered invaluable for its ability to prolong the availab…
The Finer Points of Water Treatment
07.28.2020
Pool & Spa News | Eric Knight | June 2019
Like most industries, we’re built on habits. Some habits serve us well but, where pool and spa chemistry is concerned, some habits and beliefs have become outdated. Just because the professional who trained you has been doing it a certain way, doesn’t mean that was a good habit in the first place. I would argue that water and what we know about it are changing. And our knowledge o…
Championing Your Facility as We Come Out of the Crisis
05.13.2020
Aquatics International | George Deines | April 2020
If you’re like me, you’ve been closely following the news related to the effects of Covid-19 on the aquatics industry. With the majority of year-round swimming pools around the country closed right now due to stay-at-home orders, two main questions have come to the forefront of aquatics operators’ minds: - When will my existing year-round swimming pool reopen? - Will the su…
How Should Aquatics Professionals Respond to the Coronavirus Pandemic?
05.13.2020
Aquatics International | Joanne McClain | April 2020
Unprecedented. For me, this word will now forever be associated with the coronavirus pandemic. And calling it unprecedented is true — none of us has experienced a public safety crisis of this magnitude in our lifetime. To make matters worse, our anxiety is doubled because of the resulting economic crash. Not only are our lives at stake, our livelihoods are in danger as well. But as aquat…
How to Prevent Chlorine Gas Incidents in Automatically Fed Swimming Pools
05.13.2020
Pool and Spa News | Rebecca Robledo | December 2019
When you see the term “chemical gas incident,” do you immediately assume this doesn’t apply to the commercial pools you design, build, maintain or operate? If so, read on. Chemical gas incidents can be difficult to describe and understand. For this reason, people misconstrue how these incidents occur. Here, learn about what causes them and how they can be avoided. Not what…
Making Your Case to Local Government
05.13.2020
Pool and Spa News | Rebecca Robledo | May 2020
With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, everybody has had to respond faster than they ever have. That includes government entities, which had to impose shelter-in-place restrictions in quick order. This has resulted in considerable gaps or inconsistencies in information and enforcement of the requirements, as well as understanding of the pool/spa industry’s work. For this reason, you m…
Midwest Industry Sees Covid Restrictions Loosened
05.13.2020
Pool and Spa News | Rebecca Robledo | May 2020
The Midwestern industry saw two significant victories in the efforts to categorize its services as essential during shelter-in-place orders resulting from the coronavirus. In Wisconsin, pool and spa companies were shocked when state orders even ruled out service and maintenance work. The language of the executive was broad enough that some believed construction and retail operations could cont…
