Melo’s Pools & Outdoors has established a reputation in Palm Springs for tackling complex luxury pool builds.
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Each year as spring approaches, the pool industry begins to shift gears. The off-season gives way to planning, preparation, and the return of a familiar rhythm as companies across the country gear up for the season ahead.
During the winter months, we spend a lot of time on the road connecting with professionals throughout the industry. Trade shows, conferences, and industry events give us an opportunity to speak directly with builders, service companies, manufacturers, distributors, and designers about what they’re seeing in the field. Those conversations help us take the pulse of the industry and understand where things may be headed.
It’s no surprise the past few years have brought challenges. Rising costs, shifting consumer expectations, and economic uncertainty have forced many companies to rethink how they operate. But one thing became clear in nearly every conversation this winter: the industry remains remarkably resilient.
If there was a common theme we heard from professionals across the country, it was optimism about the 2026 season ahead. Pool companies are refining operations and finding new ways to deliver value. Builders are embracing innovative designs and materials, while service professionals adopt technologies that help them run more efficiently.
That spirit of transformation became the inspiration behind this Spring issue. It’s not just about the dramatic before-and-after of a backyard renovation, but also how professionals adapt, evolve, and rethink their approach when new challenges arise. In this issue, we explore those ideas through stories, insights, and industry news to help pool professionals stay informed as the 2026 season gets underway.
Regards,
Joe Trusty Editor-in-Chief Pool Magazine
Founder, CEO & Editor: Joe Trusty
President, Associate-Editor: Marianne Trusty
Director of Marketing/Sales: Carol Gigliotti
Cover Photo: Jimi Smith Photography
Contributing Editor: Marcus Packer
Contributing Editor: Alise Everton
Production Editor: Julie Hamlin
In-House Photographer: Jimi Smith
Staff Writer: Susie Cuebas
Contributors: Lauren Broom
Advertisers: Aiper, AquaBlu Mosaics, Aquamatic Cover Systems, Basecrete, BioGuard, CCEI, Cover Care, Diamond Spas, FSPA, GENESIS, Hammerhead Aquatics, H2Flow, Latham, Master Pools Guild, Natural Chemistry, Pentair, PHTA, POOLCORP, PoolContractor.com, PoolMarketing.com, PSP Deck Expo, Riverflow, Sabal Green, Viking Capital
POOL MAGAZINE - PO BOX 278 - Pilot Hill, CA 95664 www.poolmagazine.com | info@poolmagazine.com
BUILDING TRUST WITH WATER QUALITY
Yann Morvan, Product Line Leader for Pentair Pool explains how pool pros can build trust with better water quality.
POOLCORP STRENGTHENS RETAIL STRATEGY
Jamie Novak and Brian Durant provide the inside scoop on POOLCORP’s new rollouts.
H2FLOW LAUNCHES NEW PRODUCTS IN TIME FOR 2026 POOL SEASON
A close look at the Nautis VSF pump and Fillstop, two new products from H2Flow.
DROUGHT PUTS NEW FOCUS ON WATER USAGE
With over 80% of Texas in a drought, can water conservation measures be far off?
ROLLS-ROYCE RECREATES ONE OF ROCK’S INFAMOUS POOLSIDE LEGENDS
Rolls-Royce submerged a Phantom in a swimming pool recreating Who icon, Keith Moon’s famous dunk.
SOFI TO TRANSFORM INTO RECORD-BREAKING SWIM VENUE
Los Angeles will transform SoFi Stadium for the 2028 Olympics. A look at what’s coming.
TEXAS POOL PERMITS DOWN THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR IN A ROW
An analytical look at the numbers suggests 2026 may be a turning point in Texas.
PERCEPTION EQUALS REALITY IN THE POOL TRADE
When it comes to the pool trade, how you see yourself matters to your customers.
TAKING ON THE HARD JOBS OTHERS JUST WON’T TOUCH
Melo’s Pools & Outdoors has made a career in Palm Springs by tackling the harder jobs.
CURRENT STATE OF THE BACKYARD SWIMMING POOL INDUSTRY
A new short-film discusses reconnecting pool owners with the joy of why they first purchased a pool to begin with.
Second generation pool builder Alexa Dal Pino talks setting new standards while maintaining core values.
An update on the much talked about + Pool project that’s coming soon to New York City.
Pool Magazine takes a look at the top robotic pool cleaners making a splash this Spring.
This trade show season, industry leaders gave big to Step Into Swim, a life saving initiative that gives back to communities.
Automation favorite, The Attendant, has built it’s fair share of supporters and is poised to add a few more this season.
Mike Logan comes out of retirement with Swimming Pool Sales Mastery course.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY FOR POOL PROS: WHAT EVERY TECH SHOULD KNOW
Instructor Lauren Broom explains the in’s and out’s of electrical safety around swimming pool environments.
Riverflow, the company best known for it’s lazy river pump, creates a new category with whole pool hydrotherapy.
The FSPA shares exciting news about big wins with the Florida Building Commission over pool bonding standards.
When homeowners step outside and look at their swimming pool, they aren’t thinking about pumps, plumbing, or automation panels mounted on the equipment pad. What they see first is the water. Is it clear? Does it sparkle in the sunlight? Does it look inviting enough that they want to jump in right away? That moment of visual clarity is often the single most powerful signal homeowners receive about how well their pool is being cared for.
For pool professionals, that clarity represents the culmination of everything happening behind the scenes. Filtration systems are removing debris and particles, sanitizers are keeping the water safe, and balanced chemistry is protecting both swimmers and equipment. When those elements work together properly, the result is water that looks effortless — even though maintaining it requires skill and attention.
BY JOE TRUSTY | PHOTOS: PENTAIR POOL
Yann Morvan, Product Line Leader for Smart Water Quality at Pentair Pool, believes water clarity ultimately becomes the defining measure of a service professional’s work.
“Water quality is essentially the signature of a pool professional’s work,” Morvan said. “It’s the most visible — or sometimes invisible — proof of their craftsmanship. If the water is always perfect every time a homeowner steps outside, that builds deep trust.”
Advances in pool technology have made it easier to maintain consistent water quality. One of the biggest changes over the past decade has been the widespread adoption of salt chlorine generators. Today, more than seventy percent of new inground pools in the United States are installed with salt systems.
Despite their popularity, Morvan says misconceptions about saltwater pools remain common. “The biggest misconception we
see is that salt pools are chlorinefree,” Morvan said. “That’s completely false.”
Saltwater pools still rely on chlorine to sanitize the water. The difference lies in how that chlorine is introduced into the system.
“Salt systems produce chlorine on-site from the dissolved salt in the water rather than requiring you to manually add tablets or liquid chlorine,” Morvan explained.
Instead of periodic spikes caused by adding chemicals, salt systems generate chlorine continuously. “A salt system microdoses constantly,” Morvan said. “That gives you a much more stable chlorine level around the clock.”
Another common misunderstanding involves the salt concentration itself. Many homeowners assume saltwater pools resemble ocean water. In reality, the difference is dramatic.
“What people notice instead is that the water feels softer and more comfortable,” he said.
Salt systems reduce the need for manual chlorine additions, but Morvan cautions that they still require attention.
“Salt systems dramatically reduce maintenance, but they are not maintenance-free,” he said. “You still need to monitor pH, monitor salt levels, and eventually replace the cell.”
Salt chlorination works through a process known as electrolysis. Salt — sodium chloride — is dissolved directly into the pool water. As the water circulates through the plumbing system, it passes through a salt cell containing electrically charged plates. “The salt cell has titanium blades coated with a special compound,” Morvan explained. “When electricity passes through those blades, it separates the chlorine from the sodium, and once it’s done sanitizing, it converts back into salt,” Morvan said. “So it’s essentially a closed loop.”
Recent improvements in salt chlorine generators have focused heavily on making the equipment easier to service. Feedback from builders and technicians played a major role in the redesign of Pentair’s IntelliChlor units. “Builders and service professionals told us they wanted equipment that fit the realities of the pad and the service call,” Morvan said.
One major improvement is the modular electronics design. “The electronics module now clips on and off,” Morvan said. “If there’s an issue, you replace just that component instead of the whole cell.”
Sensor technology has also been upgraded. “The salinity reading is now about 98 percent as accurate as a lab-grade tester,” Morvan said.
The system also includes more than twenty diagnostic codes visible directly on the display, helping technicians identify problems quickly. “The unit can tell you whether the issue is the cell, the power center, or the automation connection,” Morvan said.
Importantly, the redesign also simplifies upgrades. “The new cell is a 100 percent drop-in replacement for existing IntelliChlor installations,” Morvan said.
While sanitization keeps water safe, filtration removes the particles that cause water to appear cloudy. Pleatco cartridges incorporate several design features intended to improve filtration efficiency. PurePleat technology keeps pleats evenly spaced, maintaining filtration surface area over time. Point-bonded filter media distributes debris capture across the entire cartridge surface, helping extend cleaning intervals.
Another design improvement focuses on water flow. Pleatco’s free-flow core maximizes the space water travels through, reducing pressure and improving overall system efficiency.
Looking ahead, Morvan believes the pool industry is moving toward a more proactive approach to water management powered by connected technology and automation. “The vision for predictive care is continuous monitoring of key parameters like pH, ORP, temperature, salinity, and flow,” Morvan said.
For Morvan, the goal remains simple: helping pool professionals deliver consistently great water. “Water quality is not just a technical outcome,” Morvan said. “It’s an experience you deliver to your clients — and it’s the foundation of everything they think about your business.”
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BY ALISE EVERTON | PHOTO CREDIT: PHOENIX POOLS
POOLCORP is making a significant push to modernize the way pool retailers and service professionals buy products, manage inventory, and sell chemicals.
Through the launch of Pool360 Unlocked and two new systembased chemical programs, the company is doubling down on digital tools, retail support, and simplified water care solutions designed to improve the experience for dealers and pool owners alike.
In a recent conversation with Pool Magazine, Jamie Novak, Director of Marketing at POOLCORP, and Brian Durant, Senior Director of Retail Solutions North America, discussed how shifting industry dynamics are driving the company’s strategy for 2026 and beyond. The conversation
revealed a clear theme: simplifying operations for dealers while making pool care easier to understand for consumers.
According to Durant, the pandemic fundamentally changed how the pool industry operates, particularly when it comes to purchasing behavior and inventory management.
“I think if we’re all being honest, the industry experienced a significant shift during the pandemic, and that really changed a lot about how the industry does business today,” Durant explained. “These changes impacted not only how chemicals are sold, but also how we support those that are selling them.”
Retailers became more aware of supply chain disruptions, fluctuating costs, and the
importance of smarter inventory management. As a result, distributors like POOLCORP began exploring new ways to support their dealer network.
“We’ve increased our focus on supporting our retail partners,” Durant said. “In fact, we’re the only distributor investing in retail between our retail summit event, updates to product packaging, and investing in water testing software.”
For Novak, the broader shift toward digital tools has also influenced how POOLCORP approaches the market.
“The market is ever-evolving,” she said. “We’re getting more digital. Our customers are looking to us for guidance from a technology perspective. There are a lot of different factors at play with just the evolution of the landscape.”
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One of the most visible changes coming from POOLCORP is the introduction of two new chemical systems designed to simplify water care.
The programs are tied to the company’s two national chemical brands, Regal Chemicals (Royal Treatment) and E-Z Clor (Gold Standard).
Both systems are designed around the concept of “system selling,” giving dealers and service professionals a structured approach to pool chemistry that can be easily explained to customers.
While the branding differs, the structure of the systems remains the same. Each program follows a simplified maintenance routine built around a small number of products designed to maintain water clarity throughout the swimming season.
Beyond simplifying water care for consumers, the new programs are designed to help dealers operate more efficiently.
“System selling can have an immediate impact on several
aspects of a pool retailer’s business,” said Durant when discussing the operational benefits. “Some of those benefits are better training and consistency, fewer callbacks, and better customer experience.”
Alongside the chemical programs, POOLCORP is also rolling out one of its most significant digital upgrades yet: Pool360 Unlocked.
The new feature dramatically expands the capabilities of POOLCORP’s existing ordering platform, giving dealers visibility into inventory across the company’s entire distribution network.
“Unlocked is an Amazon-like experience that gives our customers the ability to shop our entire network of inventory and get it via pickup, shipped, or delivered. Your branch is now every branch”, Novak explained.
The upgrade solves several common challenges dealers face when sourcing equipment and parts.
Previously, if an item wasn’t available at a dealer’s home
branch, they might have needed to place multiple orders, call other locations, or wait for transfers.
Now, those steps happen automatically. Customers can instantly see inventory availability across POOLCORP’s nationwide network and select how they want to receive their order. Products can be picked up at another branch, shipped to their primary location, or delivered directly to a jobsite.
The platform even allows multiple delivery methods within a single order and provides estimated transfer times and order tracking, allowing dealers to plan their jobs more efficiently.
Ultimately, POOLCORP’s initiatives for 2026 reflect a broader strategy aimed at strengthening relationships with brick-and-mortar retailers.
“We’re dedicated to exclusively supporting our brick-and-mortar retailers across North America,” explained Durant. “That includes product support, comprehensive training, our Pool360 water testing platform, marketing assistance, consumer promotions, and merchandising solutions.”
BY SUSIE CUEBAS | PHOTOS: H2FLOW
As the 2026 pool season approaches, H2Flow is making it clear they’re not standing still.
At the Pool & Spa Show in Atlantic City, H2Flow officially introduced the Nautis VSF variable speed pump — and it drew a crowd.
Sean McDermott, Executive Vice President of H2Flow explained that while variable speed pumps are now mandated and widely adopted, the industry has largely focused on RPM — not actual water flow.
“We’re combining it with our flow meter to achieve not just a constant speed, but a constant flow,” said McDermott.
“Flow is really what’s important in
a pool system, not the speed of the motor.”
Traditional VS pumps operate at preset speeds. As filters load up or water features are activated, flow drops — often unnoticed. The Nautis VSF, paired with H2Flow’s FlowVis mechanical flow meter and digital sensor, measures real-time flow and adjusts motor speed automatically to maintain it.
The result isn’t just energy efficiency — it’s precision circulation.
At the heart of the Nautis VSF system is EcoFlow technology, a concept rooted in H2Flow’s commercial VFD experience.
“EcoFlow technology uses our FlowVis mechanical flow meter
along with the FlowVis digital sensor, takes that data and processes it so that the VFD controls the speed of the motor based on a required flow,” said McDermott.
“Instead of guessing at programming speeds, users input pool volume and desired turnover rate,” explained McDermott.
Select a 12-hour turnover and the system calculates the necessary gallons-per-minute rate automatically. Even if the filter gets dirty or water features are turned on and off, the pump maintains constant flow.
The impact goes beyond electrical savings. When flow drops in a constant-speed system, chemical dispersion suffers and algae risks
increase. Constant flow maintains both energy efficiency and water health.
The ideal Nautis setup integrates three components: the Nautis VSF pump, the Nautis Motor Control Unit (MCU), and FlowVis.
The MCU acts as a compact automation system specifically for pump and heater control.
Through the BlueSync app or browser interface, users can select constant speed, constant flow, or turnover modes. Unlike traditional pumps that infer flow from electrical data, the MCU uses real flow readings.
“We know exactly what the flow is and we’re able to run it precisely at that flow,” explained McDermott.
H2Flow is also developing compatibility with other variable speed pumps.
“Any pump that can be run off of an RS-485 Modbus connection can interface with the Nautis MCU,” McDermott said.
That opens the door for pool pros to upgrade existing systems into constant-flow solutions without investing in full-scale automation platforms.
Beyond advanced control logic, Nautis VSF includes thoughtful, field-driven upgrades.
The LED-lit pump basket is more than cosmetic.
“It’s very useful. If you’re out late at night… or early in the morning before the sun’s come up, you can just hit the light and check,” McDermott said.
The flip-down lid handles provide added leverage, making maintenance easier for both homeowners and service techs.
H2Flow also integrated heater control into the MCU. With temperature probes and a simple connection, the system ensures minimum flow requirements are met during heating cycles.
After additional rep feedback, H2Flow added scheduled high-flow programming for in-floor cleaning systems — functionality often reserved for high-end automation systems.
While Nautis VSF optimizes daily circulation, FillStop tackles a common and expensive issue: unmanaged pool fills.
“FillStop was born from feedback from pool professionals,” McDermott said.
Pros frequently asked if LevelSmart could handle initial pool fills. Technically yes — practically no. Large fills would take far too long. The solution: a portable automated fill system housed in a Pelican-style case.
“What we created is a tool… that you can connect a garden hose to and put the sensor in the pool where you want the water to stop,” McDermott explained.
For service companies managing dozens or even hundreds of pools, Fillstop is a liability reducer.
“You’re either relying on the customer… or going back to the house constantly to check on the level of water,” said McDermott.
With FillStop handling initial fill, LevelSmart maintaining water levels, FlowVis delivering accurate flow data, and Nautis VSF controlling circulation, H2Flow now offers a modular ecosystem for intelligent water control.
“Our motto… is intelligent water controls. But the underlying factor is that we are here to make pool pros’ lives easier and to make pool owners’ lives better,” said McDermott.
As the 2026 pool season ramps up, H2Flow’s message is clear: smarter water management isn’t about adding layers of complexity. It’s about removing guesswork, protecting equipment, saving time, and giving pool professionals tools that work as hard as they do.
BY MARCUS PACKER
Drought is shaping up to be one of the defining issues for the pool industry this season in Texas.
According to the latest drought monitoring data, over 80% of the state is currently experiencing at least some level of drought conditions. Large portions of South and Central Texas are facing severe, extreme, or exceptional drought classifications — the highest levels on the scale.
A s temperatures begin to climb this pool season, the conversation around water use is starting to intensify. For the pool industry, that discussion always brings a mix of concern, confusion, and opportunity.
Texas consistently ranks among
the top states in the country for residential pool ownership. Warm weather, long swimming seasons, and rapid suburban growth have made backyard pools a staple in many communities across the state.
But when water becomes scarce, swimming pools often get pulled into the broader public debate about conservation.
When drought conditions worsen, municipalities typically introduce staged conservation measures designed to reduce water consumption.
These restrictions usually start with things like limiting lawn irrigation schedules or restricting car washing. As conditions tighten, additional measures can follow. In some areas, that can eventually include limits on
filling decorative water features, restrictions on new pool fills, or guidelines about maintaining proper water levels without waste.
Even when pools are not specifically targeted by regulation, they often become part of the public conversation simply because they are visible.
A full backyard pool can stand in stark contrast to brown lawns and dry landscapes. As a result, pools sometimes become symbolic in drought discussions, even though their actual water usage patterns are often misunderstood.
One of the most persistent misconceptions about pools is that they constantly consume large volumes of water.
In reality, once a pool is filled, it functions largely as a contained system. While the initial fill of a typical residential pool can require roughly 15,000 to 30,000 gallons of water, ongoing water use is primarily driven by evaporation and minor maintenance top-offs rather than continuous consumption.
Annual replacement water for many residential pools often falls somewhere in the range of 10,000 to 20,000 gallons depending on climate, wind, and whether a pool cover is used.
By comparison, landscape irrigation—particularly traditional turf lawns—can consume far more water over the same period. Studies comparing water use have found that lawns of similar square footage may require tens of thousands of gallons annually, and in some cases over 160,000 gallons per year depending on climate and irrigation practices.
In reality, once a pool is filled, it operates as a contained system. Water loss typically occurs through evaporation, splash-out, or backwashing depending on the filtration system being used.
Still, during periods of drought, perception often matters as much as the numbers. When water shortages intensify, swimming pools are naturally under greater scrutiny.
Industry veteran Harold Tapley says the industry has seen that pattern play out before. After decades working on the West Coast—where drought conditions and water policy have long shaped how pools are built and maintained—Tapley has watched how quickly regulators begin examining water use across all sectors, including backyard pools.
“As drought conditions intensify in Central Texas and across the Colorado River Basin, water policies could be impacted,” Tapley explained. “I can tell you that when Nevada experienced drought conditions, places like Las Vegas began limiting new pool construction to a maximum of 600 square feet. When California experienced drought conditions, certain counties paused pool construction permits for a while. Water conservation concerns are real and always an important topic within the pool industry.”
Tapley advised that one of the areas most likely to draw attention during drought conditions is the routine maintenance of the pool itself. Practices such as backwashing filters or cleaning cartridges can discharge large amounts of treated water that must then be replaced with a potable supply. As water agencies increasingly look for ways to reduce waste, those processes are becoming a greater part of the conservation conversation.
Tapley, a member of the PHTA-13 commission on Water Conservation Efficiency, says newer water recovery technologies are beginning to offer a way to dramatically reduce those losses.
“Backwashing in particular, discharges treated water that must then be replaced, and cartridge filter cleaning can waste significant amounts of water,” Tapley said. “Certified reuse systems can now recover 80–99% of that water— transforming what was once waste into measurable conservation.”
With large areas of Texas enacting water conservation measures, if drought conditions persist or intensify, municipalities may begin introducing additional conservation measures.
Possible actions might include:
• Limits on pool refilling to certain hours or days
• Temporary delays for filling new pools
• Stricter enforcement of visible water waste
Historically, most municipalities attempt to strike a balance between conservation goals and practical realities. Swimming pools are rarely among the largest drivers of municipal water use compared to agricultural irrigation or landscape watering. However, because pools are highly visible, they often become part of the public conversation when drought conditions intensify.
For pool professionals in Texas, those conversations represent both a challenge and an opportunity. The companies that succeed this pool season will be the ones that help homeowners understand how to enjoy their swimming pools while also managing water responsibly.
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BY ALISE EVERTON | PHOTO: TRINITY MIRROR
Rock and roll has produced its share of outrageous stories over the decades, but few have endured like the tale of Keith Moon driving a Rolls-Royce into a swimming pool. The story has circulated for generations in music documentaries, biographies, and late-night conversations among rock fans. It’s the kind of legend that perfectly captures the chaos of the late-1960s touring scene and the unpredictable personality of The Who’s famously wild drummer.
But like many stories from rock’s most excessive era, the truth behind it is far less certain.
What is known for sure is that a legendary party took place
during The Who’s 1967 American tour. What remains unclear is whether a luxury automobile actually ended up submerged at the bottom of a hotel swimming pool.
The story begins at a Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan. The Who were touring the United States when Moon decided to celebrate what he claimed was his 21st birthday. In reality, the drummer was turning 20, but that technicality didn’t slow down the festivities.
Accounts of the evening describe a party that quickly spiraled into chaos.
Guests reportedly began throwing food, smashing plates, and pushing one another into the hotel swimming pool. Furniture
was damaged, decorations destroyed, and the growing crowd of revelers quickly overwhelmed hotel staff. Before long, the situation had escalated to the point where the police were called.
By the end of the night, the hotel had suffered thousands of dollars in damage. The swimming pool had become the center of much of the chaos, with partygoers repeatedly tossed into the water as the celebration escalated.
Somewhere within that mayhem, the story of a car ending up in the pool began to take shape.
Over time, the tale evolved into something far more dramatic.
The most widely repeated version
claims that Keith Moon drove his Rolls-Royce directly into the hotel’s swimming pool as part of the party. The visual is hard to forget: a gleaming British luxury car slipping beneath the surface while rock musicians and party guests cheer from the pool deck.
The story has been repeated so many times that it became part of rock folklore.
Even Rolls-Royce acknowledges the legend. In recounting the story, the brand itself has noted that, “Legend has it that while celebrating his 21st birthday, Keith Moon — the gifted but self-destructive drummer of The Who — plunged his Rolls-Royce into the swimming pool at the Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan.”
Yet despite its popularity, historians and eyewitnesses have long questioned whether the incident actually happened that way.
Keith Moon himself offered a different explanation in later interviews.
According to his recollection, the car involved in the story wasn’t a Rolls-Royce at all. Instead, he claimed it was a Lincoln Continental belonging to another guest at the hotel. Moon said he didn’t drive the car into the pool but simply released the handbrake and allowed it to roll forward into the water.
Over the years, that account has become one of the most frequently cited attempts to explain what might have actually occurred during the party.
Even Moon’s explanation isn’t universally accepted.
Some guests who attended the party later insisted that no car ever entered the pool that night. In their recollections, the story gradually became more exaggerated as it was retold in the years that followed.
That wouldn’t be unusual. Rock history is full of stories that grow larger with time, as memories fade and legends take on a life of their own.
What is certain is that the party itself was very real, and the damage to the hotel was significant enough to ensure the event would be remembered long after the band left town.
Whether the car actually ended up in the water almost doesn’t matter anymore.
Keith Moon had already developed a reputation as one of rock music’s most unpredictable personalities. His destructive antics during The Who’s early tours became legendary. Stories circulated about smashed televisions, destroyed hotel rooms, and elaborate pranks that left hotel managers and tour promoters scrambling to contain the damage.
Given that reputation, the idea that Moon might have sent a car into a swimming pool didn’t seem particularly far-fetched. The story fit his personality so perfectly that it became accepted as fact in the eyes of many fans.
Even decades later, it remains one of the most frequently repeated tales from rock’s early touring era.
Nearly sixty years after the infamous party, RollsRoyce decided to embrace the legend rather than debate its historical accuracy.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the RollsRoyce Phantom, the company staged a dramatic recreation of the story. The photo shoot took place at Tinside Lido in Plymouth, England, a historic seaside swimming pool overlooking the harbor.
Rather than destroying a working luxury vehicle, Rolls-Royce used the body shell of an early Phantom prototype that had already been retired and scheduled for recycling.
The vehicle was carefully placed into the pool, partially submerged in the water.
The resulting images are striking. The Phantom rests beneath the surface while the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament rises just above the waterline, creating a surreal visual tribute to the rock-and-roll myth.
The recreation wasn’t meant to prove the original story happened. Instead, it served as a playful acknowledgment of the legend that has followed the Phantom for decades.
The connection between the Phantom and music icons goes far beyond the Keith Moon story.
Rolls-Royce vehicles have long been associated with musicians and entertainers who embraced the car’s bold presence and craftsmanship.
One of the most famous examples came in the late 1960s when John Lennon commissioned a Rolls-Royce Phantom V painted in psychedelic colors and ornate patterns. The car shocked traditionalists but became one of the most recognizable vehicles in rock history. Over the decades, numerous artists have owned Rolls-Royce vehicles, reinforcing the brand’s reputation as a symbol of success.
Rolls-Royce CEO Chris Brownridge acknowledged that relationship while discussing the Phantom’s legacy.
“Over the last 100 years, music artists have used Phantom to project their identity and challenge convention,” Brownridge said. “Their motor cars often became icons in their own right, with a lasting place in the history of modern music.”
For readers interested in poolside history, the Keith Moon legend highlights the role swimming pools have often played in cultural moments that extend far beyond recreation. Pools have long served as gathering places for celebrations, parties, and unforgettable social events. From classic Hollywood poolside gatherings to modern luxury backyard entertaining spaces, the swimming pool frequently becomes the backdrop where memorable stories unfold. In Moon’s case, the pool became part of a rock-and-roll myth that continues to float around the music world to this day.
BY SUSIE CUEBAS | PHOTOS: LA28.ORG
LA 28 is poised to transform SoFi Stadium into a record-breaking Olympic swimming venue. When the Games return to Los Angeles in 2028, swimming will take place inside one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in the world.
SoFi Stadium, home to the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, will be converted into what is projected to be the largest swimming venue in Olympic history. Organizers anticipate accommodating more than 40,000 spectators — nearly double the 22,209 attendance record set at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
The decision marks a significant departure from traditional Olympic aquatic venues and reflects LA28’s broader strategy of maximizing existing
infrastructure rather than constructing permanent new facilities.
For nine days during the Games, SoFi’s football field will transform into a world-class aquatic competition complex.
Before swimming competition begins, SoFi Stadium will co-host the Olympic Opening Ceremony alongside the LA Memorial Coliseum in a dual-venue celebration. The stadium will also host the Paralympic Opening Ceremony.
To accommodate the ceremony, organizers plan to build a removable stage over the swimming pool installation area — a design made possible by the stadium’s adaptable architecture.
Otto Benedict, Senior Vice President of Facility Operations
at SoFi Stadium, emphasized that flexibility was embedded in the venue’s original concept.
“The design process and the design thought through the SoFi Stadium was always to be one that was very convertible. It allows us to do many different things,” Benedict said.
Following the ceremony, the stage will be removed, revealing the competition pools beneath and allowing the transition into swimming events scheduled for the second week of the Games.
The scale of the conversion is unprecedented. The entire playing surface will be utilized.
“It’s going to go sideline to sideline. We will take up the entire expanse of our football field, so all 101,000 square feet will be utilized for the
competition area. So it will truly look like something you’ve never seen,” Benedict said.
The pools used for LA28 will be engineered to world-record standards — despite being temporary installations.
LA28 organizers have not yet publicly detailed the final pool supplier for the 2028 Games. However, recent Olympic competitions have relied on modular stainless-steel pool systems specifically designed for temporary installation inside multipurpose venues.
As planning continues and contracts are finalized, Pool Magazine will provide in-depth coverage of the engineering, installation process, and technical specifications behind the LA28 competition pools.
While swimming will take place in Inglewood, Olympic diving events will be staged at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center, following confirmation from LA28 and the City of Los Angeles.
The Rose Bowl Aquatics Center, located adjacent to the historic Rose Bowl Stadium, will undergo temporary seating enhancements
to accommodate Olympic spectators. The venue already meets many of the technical requirements for elite diving competition.
Diving pools require depths typically exceeding five meters and incorporate specialized aeration systems that create surface agitation to protect athletes entering the water from platform heights.
Separating swimming and diving venues allows organizers to match each sport with a facility suited to its competitive demands — large-scale stadium seating for swimming and a controlled aquatic environment for diving.
Swimming is consistently one of the most watched Olympic sports. By placing competition inside SoFi Stadium, LA28 is positioning the event to shatter attendance records.
Officials anticipate accommodating more than 40,000 spectators — far surpassing the 22,209 fans who attended the U.S. Olympic Trials, the current benchmark for a swimming event.
The scheduling adjustment that moves swimming to the second
week of the Games makes the conversion feasible. SoFi will first co-host the Opening Ceremony, then transition to aquatics configuration before competition begins.
The use of SoFi Stadium reflects a shift in Olympic planning philosophy. Previous host cities invested heavily in permanent aquatic structures. The 2008 Summer Olympics delivered the National Aquatics Center, while the 2012 Summer Olympics constructed a purpose-built aquatics venue designed for longterm use.
The next several years will serve as preparation for SoFi Stadium’s Olympic role. Hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Super Bowl LXI in 2027 will provide operational experience managing large-scale international audiences before the Games arrive in 2028.
When Olympic swimming begins, spectators will see a world-class aquatic venue assembled inside one of the most recognizable stadiums in the United States. For nine days, the football field in Inglewood will become an Olympic pool. And in 2028, it will be the largest stage swimming has ever seen.
Texas has now logged its third straight year of decline in new residential swimming pool permits. On the surface, that headline sounds discouraging.
But the deeper story is more nuanced — and arguably more optimistic.
According to HBWeekly’s 2025 Review, Texas finished the year down approximately 9% year-overyear in new pool permits. That marks the third consecutive annual decline. However, context matters: the two years prior saw far steeper contractions — roughly –31% in 2023 and –26% in 2024.
In other words, 2025 wasn’t another collapse. It was a slowdown of the slowdown, and that distinction matters.
After two years of sharp pullbacks following the pandemic-era surge, a single-digit decline suggests the market may be stabilizing.
Permit activity didn’t fall off a cliff — it softened, but at a far more moderate pace. For Dallas and Houston in particular, the declines were comparatively mild, with some suburban counties even showing pockets of resilience.
The real question now is simple: If 2025 represented the bottoming phase, what does 2026 hold?
Early signals from January 2026’s permit data report show typical seasonal softness — not an alarming deterioration. If demand remains steady through the spring and summer build cycle, Texas could very well outperform 2025. Depending on broader economic conditions, it’s not unrealistic to suggest that the market could flirt with flat or even positive year-overyear growth by year’s end.
But the story won’t be written by permits alone.
Macro forces — specifically interest rates and tariffs — could heavily
BY JOE TRUSTY
influence how the back half of 2026 unfolds.
Pools are discretionary purchases. And discretionary purchases are highly sensitive to financing conditions.
Right now, the Federal Reserve has not begun a major easing cycle. The policy rate remains in the 3.50%–3.75% range after several cuts in 2025. Policymakers are holding steady, watching inflation data carefully before making further moves.
Market experts, however, are cautiously pricing in one to two quarter-point cuts in 2026. That’s not an aggressive pivot. It’s measured. Data-dependent. Gradual.
The bottom line: Rates haven’t meaningfully loosened yet. But if inflation continues cooling and the labor market softens slightly, modest easing later in 2026 is plausible.
2025 Total Permits: ~6,000–7,000 statewide
2025 Year-Over-Year Change: –9%
2024 Year-Over-Year Change: –26%
2023 Year-Over-Year Change: –31%
For pool builders, that matters.
Lower interest rates mean:
• Cheaper home equity financing
• More affordable improvement loans
• Improved homeowner confidence
Stable or elevated rates, on the other hand, keep borrowing costs high — which can delay large discretionary projects.
If the Fed trims rates modestly in the second half of 2026, that could act as a tailwind for pool demand — especially in markets like Texas where outdoor living is lifestyle-driven, not just luxury-driven.
The tariff situation has introduced its own layer of complexity.
A recent Supreme Court ruling invalidated a broad set of Trump-era tariffs, declaring the authority used to
impose them unconstitutional. That decision initially suggested meaningful tariff relief.
If effective tariff pressure moderates, that could reduce material cost inflation for builders. Combined with easing inflation more broadly, that gives the Fed more room to cut rates — creating a reinforcing cycle that benefits discretionary spending.
The outcome isn’t guaranteed. But the direction is worth watching.
That combination suggests 2026 could outperform 2025 — particularly in the second half of the year.
If consumer confidence stabilizes and financing costs edge lower, homeowners may begin loosening budgets for larger projects again. Texas, with its long swim season and entrenched backyard culture, is uniquely positioned to benefit from that shift.
BY MARCUS PACKER
IIf you ask most pool pros how they see themselves, the answer is pretty consistent.
We’re rugged. We’re sun-kissed. We’ve got forearms like rebar and a tan that says “I work outside for a living.”
In our own mental highlight reel, we’re the consummate professional. Truck door shuts. Sunglasses on. Water sparkling behind us. The pool is perfect because we made it that way.
We’re craftsmen. We’re troubleshooters. We’re the superheroes of summer
That’s how we see ourselves. Now let’s talk about how customers see us. Because depending on the day — and the invoice — we’re not always the hero in the slowmotion montage. Sometimes we’re something else entirely.
“Can You Do It For Half?”
You hand them an estimate. They tilt their head. “Can you do it for half?” In that moment, something shifts. Suddenly you’re not a professional with insurance, fuel costs, payroll, chemical increases, equipment overhead, licensing, and taxes. You’re Bozo. They see you juggling test kits and chlorine tabs, honking a horn, performing tricks for their amusement.
“You’re Way Overpriced.”
This customer is sure that your prices are way too high. They don’t just think you’re expensive. They think you’re robbing them. You present your proposal. They lean back. Arms crossed. “I had a guy who did it for way less.”
Sure you did. In their imagination, you’re standing there in a ski mask with a bag full of hundred-dollar bills. Every invoice is a heist. Every service call is a getaway.
“I
This is the company that assumes you’re operating a non-profit. “I can get you next month.” Translation: Carry me.
You fix their pump today. You replace the filter. You clean up the mess.
And they’ll square up… eventually.
In their world, you’re sitting on a pile of cash. Money flows freely. You can float them indefinitely because, well, you must be rolling in it. They don’t see payroll hitting Friday morning. They don’t see supplier invoices due in 15 days. They don’t see the credit card bill from the parts you fronted.
In their mind, you’re a business owner and independently wealthy.
“Can
This customer is my favorite. You know the type. They call at 4:30 PM on a Friday. “We’re having a party tomorrow.” Suddenly, you’re not a pool pro. You’re Harry Potter. You’re expected to wave a wand and reverse three weeks of neglect in a few hours.
Green water?
Broken heater? Dead pump?
No problem. Surely you can just make it happen. In their head, you’ve been waiting by the phone for this very moment. No other customers. No schedule. No route. No other emergencies. Just you, poised dramatically beside your truck, ready to conjure clarity out of their chaos.
This particular customer wants every detail of your estimate broken down and itemized for them.
Every drop of chemical used. Every minute of labor spent working. Every markup applied and how much.
Get your dancing shoes on. You’re not just giving an estimate. You’re performing. They want to compare you to the next five guys who show up in a Google search. They want to line up your numbers like a fantasy football draft and see who’s cheapest. In that moment, you’re not a pool professional.
You’re a break dancer.
Here’s the part we don’t talk about enough as an industry.
Most pool pros are just normal people running small businesses. We’ve got mortgages, kids, payroll to meet, trucks that need maintenance, supplier accounts that come due whether we got paid or not, and alarm clocks that go off long before most of our customers are awake. This isn’t a hobby or a side hustle — it’s how we feed our families.
We’re not clowns looking to perform at half price, and we’re not thieves twisting our moustaches, plotting ways to rip off the customer. We’re not sitting on piles of cash, and we’re definitely not magicians who can bend time and reality to accommodate every last-minute request. We’re professionals who learned a trade, invested in equipment, carry insurance, and take on real responsibility every time we touch someone’s backyard.
There’s pride in this work. Clear water doesn’t happen by accident. Equipment doesn’t fix itself. When something breaks, leaks, shorts out, or turns green overnight, someone has to understand the system well enough to diagnose it and make it right. That knowledge comes from experience — and experience has value.
Most of us aren’t trying to squeeze every buck we can out of a customer. We’re not eager to argue over invoices or chase unpaid balances. We don’t enjoy telling someone we can’t reshuffle an entire week because a party was scheduled without notice. What we want is pretty simple: to do great work, to be treated fairly, and to have our expertise respected.
At the end of the day, pool pros and homeowners actually want the same thing — a backyard that works the way it’s supposed to and a relationship that feels honest. When there’s mutual respect, all those exaggerated personas disappear, and what’s left is just a professional providing a service for customers who value it.
There’s a hard truth in this industry that doesn’t get talked about enough: perception is reality. If a customer believes your time isn’t valuable, they’ll treat it that way. If they believe your pricing is flexible, they’ll test it. If they believe you “need the work,” they’ll negotiate accordingly.
But where does that perception come from? A lot of it starts with the pool pro. How you present an estimate matters. How you explain scope matters. Whether you pause and wait after stating your price — or immediately start justifying it — matters. Customers read hesitation. They read uncertainty. And they respond to it.
This isn’t about ego. It’s about positioning. If you treat your service like a commodity, it will be compared like one. If you present it as skilled, insured, accountable professional work — with systems, standards, and policies behind it — it gets treated differently.
Self-worth in business isn’t emotional. It shows up in structure.
Do you have clear payment terms?
Do you enforce them? Do you charge diagnostic time consistently?
Do you walk away when a job doesn’t make sense?
Those decisions communicate value far more than any speech about “experience” ever will When you value your time, you schedule it intentionally. When you value your expertise, you charge for it. When you value your service, you stop racing to the bottom.
Customers take cues from how you operate. If you discount quickly, they learn to wait for it. If you bend policies often, they expect exceptions. If you overexplain your pricing defensively, they sense it’s negotiable.
On the flip side, when you’re clear and steady — “Here’s the scope. Here’s the price. Here’s how we handle payment.” — most reasonable customers adjust to that framework.
The industry sometimes conditions pool pros to feel lucky just to have the work. But this is skilled labor. It requires technical knowledge, physical effort, liability, and responsibility. If you don’t believe your work has real value, it’s hard to expect customers to believe it either.
Perception is reality in service businesses. The way you see your own operation — serious business or side hustle, professional service or “just pool work” — shapes how others respond to you. And over time, the customers you attract will mirror that perception.
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BY JOE TRUSTY
PHOTOS: JIMI SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY
In a market defined by architectural pedigree and uncompromising aesthetics, reputation is everything. And in the Palm Springs and Palm Desert corridor — where mid-century icons meet modern glass-and-steel estates — Melo’s Pools & Outdoors has quietly carved out a lane that few builders are willing to occupy.
“We’ve kind of built a name for taking on projects that maybe most of our competitors do not want to get involved with just due to how complex they are,” says co-owner Albert Melo. “A lot of the times we get involved early on in the early phases of the project. We’re willing to take our time and answer maybe a hundred questions before we’re even able to provide a price.”
That willingness to engage early — and absorb the risk that comes with it — has become the firm’s calling card.
Melo’s path back to the family business wasn’t linear. He studied civil engineering in Orange County and was on track for a conventional engineering career before a pivotal mentor redirected him.
“I don’t think you’re an engineer,” a builder he interned for once told him.
“ You’re going to be a great businessman one day.”
Melo’s Pools & Outdoors has made a name for themselves as an elite builder in one of the most competitive pool markets in America.
At the time, it felt destabilizing. But looking back, Melo sees the value.
“I don’t think it was a waste of time. It’s actually helped me tremendously to be able to work on these projects and use that knowledge with architects and structural engineers and city inspectors.”
When he returned to the Coachella Valley to help his father with what was then a small pool service and remodeling operation, he never left. Twelve years later, that modest operation has evolved into an award-winning luxury pool firm capable of executing six- and seven-figure watershapes.
The transformation didn’t happen overnight.
“I became obsessed with the business side of things,” Melo explains. “How to be more efficient. How to create a better experience
for the client. How to create a better sales process, a better construction process. Even if that meant every day just improving one percent.”
Over time, that obsession began attracting a different clientele.
The project that crystallizes Melo’s reputation sits in the heart of Palm Desert — a modern estate anchored by an acrylic wall pool and a floating acrylic bar that appears to hover over illuminated water.
It began, as many of Melo’s projects do, with a simple directive from the homeowner.
“They were like, Albert, we want something different. We want something unique.”
One idea led to another. A transparent wall. Then a bar. Then a question no one had yet
answered.
“What if we make the table out of acrylic?”
At the time, Melo didn’t know of anyone who had executed a fully integrated floating acrylic bar in that fashion. But the idea stuck.
The coordination required was immense. Acrylic vendor. Structural engineers. In-house CAD design. Hydraulics. Load calculations. Deflection analysis.
The final email count approached two thousand messages between all parties involved.
Details mattered at a microscopic level — pool depth, waterline alignment, structural support, acrylic thickness, anchoring systems, tolerances.
And then came the fill.
Alexandria, VA
Albuquerque, NM
Honolulu, HI
Indianapolis, IN Pittsburg, PA
Portland, OR
“That was my first acrylic pool that we had ever done,” Melo recalls. “I just could not relax. I’m like, what if it leaks? What if it fails? All that pressure of the water — is it going to deflect that acrylic?”
He drove to the site late at night while the pool was filling.
“I remember it was halfway through the acrylic and there were no leaks. It was almost there.”
That night still stands out.
“Anyone that’s been in this industry remembers their first infinity edge pool, their first zero-edge pool,” he says. “With time and experience comes confidence.”
Today, the illuminated acrylic wall glows beneath the desert sky. The floating bar, supported by transparent columns, creates the illusion of weightlessness. It is architectural sculpture as much as it is watershape — and a defining example of what happens when a builder refuses to default to ordinary.
Not every signature project is about
pushing materials. Some are about knowing when not to.
On another featured property, Melo’s team preserved decades-old palm trees rather than remove them to simplify construction.
“We said, we have to keep these palms,” he explains. “It’s a signature look of Palm Springs.”
Structurally, that decision complicated the dig and required careful engineering to ensure root systems remained stable. But the payoff was visual continuity — a modernized pool anchored by historic palms that tied the property to its mid-century heritage.
“Sometimes restraint is the most important part,” Melo says. “The challenge is, when you’re working with big architects and successful clients, they don’t want to hear the word no. They have an idea and it’s our job to figure out how it gets done.”
That often means mediating between architectural intent and structural reality.
The discipline isn’t about limiting ambition. It’s about integrating it.
In production building, process is standardized. In custom luxury construction, process must be flexible without becoming chaotic.
Because many of their builds stretch across months or even years, continuity is critical.
“It starts with, are we the right fit?” Melo says. “Usually that starts with a phone call or a Zoom meeting.”
From there, they request conceptual drawings — sometimes nothing more than bubble sketches — and begin mapping out what information is needed from civil engineers, structural engineers, and architects.
Because many of their builds stretch across months or even years, continuity is critical.
“I probably have five or ten projects right now where it’s been a year, some of them two years, and we’re just waiting to come back,” Melo says.
Pools may be shot to structural
shell and then paused until vertical construction on the home reaches a certain stage.
To maintain momentum, Melo and his project managers maintain contact — site visits, emails, coordination meetings — even during dormant phases.
“We try to keep that communication alive.”
Despite industry recognition — including 40 Under 40 honors — Melo remains wary of complacency.
“The day you think you have it all figured out is when you don’t,” he says.
He credits mentorship from friends and associates who run nine-figure businesses for sharpening his
understanding of financial systems and operational discipline.
“Yes, we’re building pools, but we’re also running a business,” he says. “We have to make sure we take care of that side.”
What excites him most isn’t reckless expansion. It’s controlled growth.
“Growth can be a double-edged sword,” Melo says. “We want to maintain our quality and find our sweet spot. We’re busy, but not so busy that it affects our quality.”
And perhaps most importantly:
“I’m excited to be able to say no to the ones that don’t fit our values.”
In a market where aesthetics
reign and reputations travel fast, that discipline may be the true differentiator.
For anyone who doubts it, just stand beside one of Melo’s exquisitely designed aquatic showpieces and bask in the splendor and technical prowess of true craftsmanship on display.
Some builders avoid the hard jobs. Melo’s Pools & Outdoors built a name by taking them on.
Read the whole article:
BY JOE TRUSTY
At first glance, The Current State of the Backyard Pool Industry sounds less like a short film and more like something you’d see on the agenda at an industry summit. It reads like a white paper. A market report. An economic forecast delivered in a ballroom with bad coffee and PowerPoint slides.
The short film from Derek Frey, David Amadio, Gil Damon, and Steve Kuzmick opens in territory that ought to immediately feel familiar to anyone working in the pool industry: a dated backyard pool. The liner is aging. The water looks neglected. The chemistry is questionable. And the homeowner is staring at a renovation estimate he isn’t sure he can justify — financially or emotionally.
From that setup, the film does something clever. It takes the headlines we’ve been writing about here at Pool Magazine — rising costs, logistical breakdowns,
economic pressures — and drops them into an everyday backyard conversation. Then it asks a harder question:
When the cost of maintaining the pool goes up… what happens to the meaning of it?
In the opening scene, a homeowner, Henry (played by Gil Damon), asks his pool guy, Rick (played by Steve Kuzmick), why his pool liner replacement now carries a five-figure price tag.
The character Rick cites inflation. Supply chain instability. A late winter freeze in Texas. Petrochemical plant shutdowns. Limited liner availability.
Rick isn’t inventing stories. He’s pulling from real-life industry issues. But the way he delivers his points — confidently, rapidly, with the cadence of someone who has well rehearsed his rebuttal — creates more than a sliver of doubt.
Is he educating the homeowner? Or is he stacking headlines into a persuasive narrative that smacks with the slick gold chain energy of a used car salesman?
“The whole Texas freeze thing came from research,” David Amadio explains. “We were trying to connect the plight of this one contractor to a larger industry issue. The audience doesn’t know if it’s real. They don’t know if it’s legit. It could just be a ruse.”
“When you first reached out to us for an interview, I went on the Pool Magazine website, and one of the top headlines was about another Texas freeze,” director Derek Frey says. “I was like, wow. I don’t know if that’s art imitating life or not, but that was particularly intentional in our crafting of this story.”
That realness doesn’t just live in the headlines, pool guy Rick cites — it lives in how he carries himself.
Kuzmick’s performance isn’t built only on what he says but on the physicality of how he delivers his lines. After making his case for why Henry’s liner replacement will be more expensive, he wraps the conversation with a firm slap on his customer’s back and a casual, “Talk it over with the family and let me know.”
Then he walks. He doesn’t linger, and he sure doesn’t soften the number. The message is subtle but unmistakable: I’ve got other jobs. I’m busy, and you need me more than I need you.
Henry, the homeowner, is just as recognizable as Rick — only from the other side of the estimate.
He’s the Everyman. The middleaged dad staring at a liner replacement bill that costs far more than he expected and wondering
how he’s going to explain it at the dinner table. There’s a touch of Clark Griswold in him — earnest, well-intentioned, slightly overwhelmed. You get the sense that if something can go wrong with his pool, it probably will. When his skimmer pole snaps in half on the first attempt to clean, it’s funny — but it’s also revealing. This is a man losing control of something he once felt confident about.
The real pressure, though, is about the conversation waiting for him inside the house. Henry knows the liner replacement isn’t just a repair. It’s a negotiation. One where he has to justify the expense to his wife — and he already senses she won’t be on board. In today’s economy, a five-figure liner replacement isn’t a casual conversation. It’s sure to be a debate and a potential source of tension.
That’s where the film pivots from industry commentary to something more personal, and a conversation happening in many homes across the nation.
Henry tries to make his case by appealing to what the pool used to represent — long summers, family time, shared memories. But when he looks to his kids for reinforcement to help him make the case, he’s met with indifference. Phones in hand, half-hearted answers, distracted nods. The pool that once anchored family life now competes against their screen time.
“It’s like a fantasy of middle-class American fatherhood,” David Amadio says. “All of us are watching our kids grow older by the day. All these pastimes we loved are falling by the wayside. This movie was our attempt to try to hold onto those things for a little bit longer.”
The pool becomes a metaphor for something bigger — for rituals that once felt permanent but now feel optional. For investments that once made obvious sense but now require defense. For a version of family life that doesn’t compete well with Wi-Fi.
“Technology is king,” Amadio says. “There are so many casualties in the culture of technology. The pool’s like a little antidote to that. It’s an analog getaway from the digital maelstrom in which we all live.”
In that context, the liner replacement isn’t just a repair. It’s a referendum. Not just on budget, but on whether the pool still holds meaning inside the household. Henry’s wife finally says she would just as soon as like to fill in the pool and be done with it altogether.
And it’s right when Henry seems ready to give up — when he shuts off the timer and retreats inside — that the film introduces its wild card.
Henry awakens to the sound of splashing. The pool lights are on. The water, which hours earlier looked neglected and uninspiring, now appears clean, inviting, almost cinematic. Floating across the surface is a stranger in goggles, a swim cap, and striped bathing suit, casually doing the backstroke.
He introduces himself as Willy Chamieux — played by writer David Amadio — and calmly explains that he is “the manifestation of why pools are cool.”
Henry, understandably alarmed, tells him the pool is in no condition to swim in (even though it’s clearly been transformed) and orders
him out, a command which Willy ignores.
Instead, he dives beneath the surface to “inspect” the torn liner Henry was complaining about. When he resurfaces, it’s face down in a dead man’s float. Henry panics and jumps in to save him — only to discover he’s been played.
And that’s the turning point. The moment Henry slips into the water, all of the tension drains from him. The defensiveness, the budgeting, the quiet resentment we saw earlier — it all fades. There’s something about being back in his pool — not as a project, not as an expense, but as he always imagined it — that softens him. You can see it on his face. He’s not calculating anymore. He’s remembering.
Willy challenges him to a game. They dive for quarters. They laugh — the kind of unguarded laughter that hasn’t been heard in that backyard in a while.
Soon, the rest of the family drifts outside. They’re tackled into the pool by Willy and quickly fall under the same spell as Henry, experiencing the renovated condition and joy of once more being in their own pool. The tone of the film shifts again. Visually, the sequence leans into classic aquatic spectacle.
“That was the main reference,” Derek Frey says. “Those 1930s films choreographed by Busby Berkeley — Footlight Parade — and Olympic synchronized swimming. We storyboarded the movement based on many of those references.”
The character of Willy carries an apparition-like quality throughout that the film never explains
outright. There’s something unmistakably Dickensian about the structure. Willy feels like a warm-weather variation of A Christmas Carol — less chains and underdone potato, more chlorine and cannonballs. If Scrooge needed the Ghost of Christmas Past to remember who he once was, Henry needs something similar.
Willy may very well be the Ghost of Summers Past. Whether spirit, trickster, or simply shared DNA, Willy’s function is clear: he forces Henry to re-experience joy before he walks away from it.
Henry wakes the following morning, not on the couch where he had resigned himself to defeat, but in bed — surrounded by his family. The energy is different. The tension is gone. His wife looks at him and gives a quiet, approving nod. No speech is necessary. No debate. They both know what comes next.
His first order of business will be to call Rick and approve the liner replacement.
Only then does the final reveal land.
As day breaks, Rick pulls up in a truck and Willy climbs in. They head off toward another address — another backyard, another hesitant homeowner, another family on the fence. The magic wasn’t random but part of the process.
And that’s where the film’s theme settles. The current state of the backyard pool industry isn’t a film about tariffs, inflation, or any of the other litany of issues impacting the industry. It’s about relevance and reminding consumers why they opted to build a pool in the first place.
BY ALISE EVERTON | PHOTOS: DAL PINO QUALITY POOLS
When Alexa Dal Pino took over the reins of Dal Pino Quality Pools, she inherited more than a company. She inherited a legacy.
Founded in 1980 by her parents, Dick and Carol Dal Pino, the Auburn, California–based firm built its reputation on craftsmanship, integrity, and a deeply personal approach to working with clients. For more than four decades, the company has been a fixture in Northern California’s Sierra Foothills, designing and building custom pools that blend seamlessly with the region’s dramatic terrain.
Today, Alexa Dal Pino continues that tradition while pushing the company into new territory, combining the foundational values her parents established
with modern design thinking, advanced engineering, and ongoing education.
Dal Pino’s path into the pool industry was almost inevitable.
“I grew up around pools,” she explained. “Dal Pino Quality Pools was founded in 1980 by my parents, Dick and Carol Dal Pino, and they had a focus on craftsmanship, integrity, and really treating every client like a friend.”
From a young age, she helped out in the family business, learning firsthand what it meant to create backyard spaces that transformed how families lived and entertained at home.
“I really appreciated how they made people’s dreams turn into reality,” Dal Pino said. “So
after college, I knew I wanted to continue that legacy and make it my professional career.”
In 2012, she officially took over leadership of the company, blending the founding principles her parents established with updated construction practices and contemporary design approaches.
The transition wasn’t about reinventing the company, she said. It was about evolution. When Dal Pino stepped into ownership, she immediately identified which elements of the company’s DNA needed to remain untouched.
“Our commitment to craftsmanship, client relationships, and the culture we created within our team were non-negotiable,” she said.
But alongside those core values came a series of intentional upgrades.
Dal Pino invested heavily in education, particularly through programs such as Genesis and WaterShape University, expanding the company’s design capabilities and technical expertise. The firm began exploring new materials, refining hydraulic systems, and implementing updated construction techniques to improve structural performance and durability.
The design process also evolved. Instead of simply presenting finished plans, Dal Pino began focusing more deeply on collaboration with clients.
“It became less about just creating a digital plan or a 3D image,” she said. “We started spending more time learning about the clients, their families, their lifestyles, and what they really wanted out of their backyard.”
Today, Dal Pino Quality Pools incorporates interactive design sessions where clients review concepts in real time, allowing changes to be made on the spot using advanced 3D design tools.
The goal, Dal Pino said, is to think beyond the pool itself.
“We’re considering architectural styles, lifestyle needs, and the entire backyard experience.”
Dal Pino Quality Pools operates in a distinctive region of Northern California known as the Sierra Foothills, an area stretching east of Sacramento toward Lake Tahoe.
The terrain is dramatic, the summers are hot, and the landscape attracts homeowners seeking expansive properties with sweeping views.
“The foothills draw people because of their beauty,” Dal Pino explained. “Napa and Silicon Valley aren’t that far away, and people are drawn to the dramatic landscape and the open spaces where they can build large custom estates.”
Those conditions have created strong demand for high-end custom pools designed to complement the natural environment.
Infinity-edge pools overlooking hillsides, multi-level terraces, and architectural outdoor living environments have become increasingly common.
But while the region offers incredible design opportunities, it also presents significant construction challenges.
Building in the foothills means dealing with terrain that can vary dramatically from one property to the next.
“No two projects are the same,” Dal Pino said. “We deal with steep slopes, buried granite, lava cap, high water tables, expansive soils—you can find all of it here.”
Add in property setbacks, easements, and wildfire zone regulations, and the complexity multiplies quickly. To navigate these challenges, Dal Pino Quality Pools relies on decades of experience and close collaboration with local engineers.
“We’re skilled in designing and building on slopes,” she said. “But communication with clients is just as important. I often show them photos of similar projects so they understand best-case and worst-case scenarios before we start.”
That transparency helps homeowners understand the potential surprises that can arise during excavation and construction.
Some of Dal Pino’s most memorable projects combine technical challenges with imaginative design. One recent project involved a multi-generational family that wanted a backyard capable of entertaining guests of all ages.
The final design included a Baja shelf for lounging, a dramatic slide and waterfall with a jump rock, and a layout that balanced recreation with relaxation
ndustry is simple: “What we build literally changes people’s lives.”
But the most meaningful feature came from the homeowners themselves.
“As they visited different national parks over the years, they brought back stones from those trips and added them to the waterfall,” Dal Pino said. “Now when they look at it, they can point out where each stone came from.”
Another project required a complete rethinking of a narrow backyard constrained by an existing retaining wall.
By relocating the rock wall nearly 15 feet into the hillside, Dal Pino’s team was able to create enough space for a full pool, spa, and outdoor living environment.
The pool structure itself ultimately became part of the retaining system, integrating functional
engineering with decorative tile, water features, fire elements, and lighting.
“It looked like a design element rather than something that was necessary for the yard to function,” she explained.
The company’s commitment to craftsmanship and thoughtful design has earned Dal Pino Quality Pools numerous accolades, including multiple honors in the PHTA Awards of Excellence.
For Dal Pino, however, recognition from peers often centers on something more practical.
“I think what I hear the most from builders and subcontractors is that we’re organized and easy to work with,” she said.
Detailed plans, clear communication, and collaborative scheduling help projects run smoothly even when the
construction conditions are complex.
Looking toward 2026, Dal Pino Quality Pools is investing in expanded design tools, updated showroom materials, and continued education for its team.
“Clients want resorts in their backyard,” Dal Pino said. “And they’re willing to invest in the quality and customization to get that.”
For Dal Pino, the mission remains clear: honor the legacy her parents built while continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible in custom pool design.
And in the foothills of Northern California, that means building spaces that feel as timeless as the landscape surrounding them.
Read the entire article:
BY JOE TRUSTY
When + POOL first captured global attention, it did so with a deceptively simple idea: New York City is surrounded by water—why can’t New Yorkers swim in it?
Years later, that question has evolved into one of the most ambitious waterfront projects in the country. In a recent interview with Pool Magazine, Kara Meyer, Managing Director of + POOL, provided a comprehensive update on the project’s progress, regulatory breakthroughs, construction milestones, and long-term vision for reconnecting New Yorkers with their waterways.
What began as an artist-driven concept is now mid-construction in Brooklyn.
Meyer traces + POOL’s origins to a group of architects and artists who observed the paradox of New York’s geography. “New York City’s surrounded by water and we can’t access it for swimming,” she explained. “What if we could, instead of cleaning the entire river, carve out a small piece of it?”
The early vision proposed a plusshaped, floating pool that would filter river water directly through its walls—cleaning the water while creating a safe, contained swimming environment. The concept resonated globally. “It was really just a concept in its early design phases that just captured the imagination of the world,” Meyer said. “People all around the world were like, yes, this is awesome, this is great.”
But inspiration alone doesn’t build infrastructure. To move the idea forward, the founders created a nonprofit organization to serve as the development arm of the project.
Over time, + POOL evolved from a singular design concept into a mission-driven organization focused on access, education, and stewardship.
The nonprofit was founded “with a mission to provide free and safe access to urban waters for swimming, to educate the public on the issues affecting our water quality, and to promote water stewardship and water safety education,” Meyer said.
While the iconic plus shape remains central to the brand, Meyer emphasized that the organization’s purpose extends far beyond geometry. “Plus Pool is an organization, right? But it’s also a community of people that are driving that organization and driving the idea forward,” she noted.
The brand was intentionally designed to be “inclusive and celebratory and positive and, quite literally, a plus—to the waterfront, to New Yorkers’ quality of life.”
Today, construction is underway on the first + POOL installation—a pilot facility designed to operate within a newly created regulatory framework.
“We are currently building the first + POOL, which is a pilot facility that we are developing against new regulations that we’ve ignited to even allow for this kind of innovation to exist,” Meyer explained.
Because no regulatory pathway previously existed for a floating,
river-fed public pool, + POOL had to work with state and city health departments to shape new policy. After that framework was established, the project received capital funding from the Governor of New York to pilot the facility.
Rather than constructing the full plus-shaped configuration immediately, the team is building one “arm” of the plus—a lounge pool portion—to demonstrate operations, safety, and regulatory compliance.
“We took one arm of the plus to do that with that funding,” Meyer said. The intent is to allow city and state officials to understand how such a facility “would be permitted, would be regulated, would operate” before expanding further.
For nearly a decade, regulatory barriers represented the project’s biggest obstacle.
“There was no process,” Meyer stated plainly. Existing health codes recognized only two categories: pools and beaches. A floating, riverfed filtration pool fit neither.
In addition, many areas of the East River were not classified as “bathing” waters under state environmental regulations, prohibiting the construction of swimming facilities.
Through data collection, policy advocacy, and collaboration with agencies, + POOL helped establish new regulatory pathways. The updated framework allows for waivers and demonstrations of safety compliance, even in proximity to combined sewage overflow (CSO) systems—an issue common to many older cities.
“This has been kind of an interesting case study… in how you can really innovate alongside government in a way that will shift the needle,” Meyer reflected.
From its inception, + POOL adopted a publicbenefit model inspired by projects like the High Line. Meyer explained that the nonprofit structure was chosen to ensure the pool would be equitable and accessible—not a membersonly amenity.
“We wanted to make sure that was equitable and accessible to all and not reserved for… a members-only type private facility,” she said.
The project has relied heavily on private donations, volunteer expertise, and pro bono services to sustain operations and programming. Ultimately, state capital funding unlocked the ability to construct the pilot installation.
The public-private partnership model is designed to demonstrate feasibility so that future investments— public or private—can scale similar projects.
As of early 2026, the floating barge structure has been constructed, and the team is preparing to install the pool liner, piping, and filtration systems.
“We’re mid construction,” Meyer said.
The plan is to float the operational structure into the river this summer to demonstrate full-scale operations to health officials. After testing and regulatory review, the team hopes to complete above-deck amenities— including decking, railings, bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms—and officially open to the public in summer 2027.
Read the whole article...
When pool season kicks off, there’s one piece of equipment that turns into the quiet workhorse of summer: the robotic pool cleaner. It’s the thing that shows up, does the dirty work, and doesn’t ask you to babysit it. Floors, walls, waterline, fine dust, leaves, “what even is that?” debris — a good robot handles it while you’re living your life.
And every year, the category gets a little more interesting. In 2026, we’re seeing smarter navigation that’s leaning into vision systems and mapping, more cordless options with better battery management, filtration that’s getting finer (and bigger), and a serious push toward convenience — app controls, scheduling, easier retrieval, and specialty modes for waterlines, corners, steps, and sun ledges.
Here is our breakdown of the top 7 new robotic pool cleaners to watch in 2026, followed by a feature matrix to help you compare them side-by-side.
Aiper keeps swinging for the fences in cordless cleaning, and the Scuba V3 is one of the more featureforward models this year. The big headline here is Aiper’s navigation stack: the Scuba V3 is built around “VisionPath™,” which combines AI and dToF to map and plan routes.
Up to 5 hours of continuous floor cleaning and up to 7 hours of surface cleaning, with coverage up to 3,230 square. feet. A big deal for larger pools and those who want fewer breaks between run cycles.
Built for in-ground and aboveground pools up to 1,900 square feet. Features a 6,000 GPH suction system powered by triple brushless motors, along with EdgePulse™ and PoolNavi™ adaptive navigation.
The new flagship cordless cleaner from Maytronics’ new EON series, built to deliver better performance and true total pool coverage
BY MARCUS PACKER
A floor/wall/waterline cleaner with strong numbers. Suction performance up to 8,000 GPH, runtime over 180 minutes, and charging time listed in the 4–6 hour range. Coverage is listed up to 2,160 square feet.
One of the more interesting “hybrid power + smart behavior” releases for 2026. WYBOT positions it as an underwater solarpowered robotic pool cleaner with dual charging methods (Solar and DC).
iGarden markets the K Pro with a stated 10 hours of floor cleaning runtime and up to 15,500 square feet of coverage. If those numbers translate into real-world consistency, this is the kind of unit that shifts how people think about battery robots.
If you’re evaluating new robotic pool cleaners, you’ve got more great options than ever: long-runtime cordless models, solar-assisted units, and “smarter” navigation systems that are actually being marketed with real specs you can compare. Hopefully our roundup makes the decision a little easier. Scan the code to view all entries that made our list and steer your customers to the right products this pool season..
Read the entire article.
As spring approaches and the pool season begins to ramp up, automation quickly rises to the top of the list of topics pool professionals discuss with homeowners. Customers want pools that are easier to manage, more efficient to operate, and capable of maintaining consistent performance without constant attention.
For builders and service companies, automation offers a different kind of value. Connected systems can provide better visibility into equipment performance, reduce troubleshooting time, and help identify issues before they turn into costly service calls.
It’s no surprise that the topic continues to dominate conversations heading into every pool season.
Over the past few years, one of the pool automation platforms gaining attention among pool professionals is The Attendant, a connected automation and monitoring system developed by Poolside Tech. The platform combines equipment automation with system monitoring and data visibility, creating a tool designed to help both homeowners and service professionals better understand how their pools are operating.
While many automation systems are designed around specific equipment ecosystems, Attendant was built to integrate with a wide range of pool equipment, giving builders and service companies flexibility when designing or upgrading equipment pads.
But compatibility is only part of the story. The larger goal behind the platform is to expand the role
BY SUSIE CUEBAS
automation plays in how pools are monitored and maintained.
“Automation used to basically turn things on and off,” explained Ben Forrest of Poolside Tech. “Now we’re talking about systems that think, adapt, and prevent problems before they happen.”
Traditional automation systems have historically focused on equipment control. Pumps can be scheduled to run at certain times, heaters can be turned on remotely, and lighting systems can be coordinated through a mobile app.
The Attendant builds on that concept by introducing a deeper layer of monitoring and diagnostics.
Through connected sensors and equipment integration, the system collects operational data from the equipment pad and makes that
information accessible through a cloudconnected interface. Homeowners and service professionals can observe how pumps, heaters, and other components are operating in real time, providing insight that goes far beyond simple scheduling.
For service professionals, that level of visibility can change how pools are managed. Instead of discovering issues during routine weekly visits, technicians can receive alerts when equipment begins to behave outside its normal operating range.
A pump drawing unusual power, a heater cycling incorrectly, or changes in water conditions can trigger notifications that allow technicians to respond quickly— often before the homeowner even realizes something is wrong.
Poolside Tech has developed several versions of the Attendant platform designed to support different types of installations.
At the center of the lineup is the flagship Attendant controller. Designed for installations where multiple pieces of equipment must operate together, the system functions as a central hub capable of coordinating pumps, heaters, valves, and sensors while collecting operational data about how the system is performing.
Because the platform is cloud-connected, both homeowners and service professionals can access system data remotely through the Attendant interface. Instead of relying solely on periodic inspections at the equipment pad, users can observe system performance in real time.
The goal is to move automation beyond fixed schedules and toward systems that provide a clearer picture of how equipment is operating throughout the day.
The Attendant Mini delivers many of the same monitoring and automation capabilities in a smaller footprint designed for residential equipment pads. Despite its size, the system still integrates with pumps, heaters, and monitoring devices while providing remote access and system alerts through the Attendant platform.
For pool pros, the Attendant Mini offers an accessible entry point for introducing connected automation to residential customers without requiring the larger automation cabinets typically associated with advanced systems.
The platform expands further with the Attendant Mini + Chemistry configuration.
This version incorporates probe-based sensors that continuously monitor water balance parameters such as pH and sanitizer levels. Instead of relying exclusively on manual testing during service visits, the system provides ongoing readings that allow service professionals to observe trends in water chemistry over time.”
By integrating water monitoring with equipment automation, the Attendant platform aims to help service professionals maintain more consistent water
conditions while reducing the guesswork that often accompanies traditional testing routines.
Poolside Tech has spent several years developing the Attendant platform while introducing the technology to the professionals who build and service pools. Through trade shows, conferences, and industry events, the company has demonstrated the platform to builders, service companies, and distributors nationwide, building partnerships with manufacturers like Latham, distributors such as POOLCORP and Heritage Pool Supply, and buying groups including Carecraft, United Aqua Group (UAG), and Master Pools Guild (MPG).
Companies like Poolwerx and Shasta Pools are now exploring how connected monitoring can improve operations. Poolwerx is working with Poolside Tech to streamline service routes and reduce troubleshooting time, while Shasta Pools is evaluating how connected automation can support both its construction and service divisions.
For installations that do not require the full scale of the flagship controller, Poolside Tech offers a compact alternative in the Attendant Mini. Read
the whole article.
BY JOE TRUSTY | PHOTO CREDIT: RIVERFLOW PUMPS
Riverflow Pumps has been making the rounds this season introducing builders and designers to a concept that expands how water movement can be used in residential pools. We caught up with the company at several big industry events this year, where Riverflow has been spreading the word about BlueOrbit, a system designed to create a gentle circular current that moves throughout the entire pool.
Riverflow is already well known throughout the industry for its powerful propulsion systems used in swim-in-place pools, lazy rivers, and adventure pool environments around the world. With BlueOrbit, the company is applying that same expertise in moving water to a new type of residential experience— one that emphasizes wellness,
relaxation, and subtle movement rather than high-powered aquatic training.
To better understand the idea behind BlueOrbit and how it fits into modern pool design, we spoke with Riverflow’s Phil De Tournillon along with two highly respected designers who have incorporated water movement systems into their projects: Marco Perrella and Brian Van Bower.
Perrella is a veteran builder and designer, while Van Bower is a multi-award-winning builder and one of the co-founders of Genesis, an education platform responsible for training generations of pool builders in advanced design and construction techniques.
Together, they offered insight into how BlueOrbit fits into the growing
interest in wellness-driven pool design.
For many years, hydrotherapy in residential pools was often treated as an add-on—a spa with jets, a bench with therapy ports, or a feature that occupied one small corner of the backyard environment.
That approach is changing.
“There was a time when getting in the water and using the vessel for hydrotherapy was a small part of what people did,” said Brian Van Bower. “Now it’s a big part. People are talking about that upfront.”
Today’s homeowners are increasingly looking at their pools as spaces that support wellness and recovery just as much as recreation. Cold plunges, therapy
spas, swim-in-place systems, and resistance training areas are becoming common talking points during the design process.
Van Bower says that shift has also created opportunities for builders.
“We’re all still in business to make a profit,” he said. “If you can add something onto a project that not only makes money but makes the client happier than they would have been otherwise, that’s a win-win.”
With hydrotherapy now becoming part of the initial design conversation rather than an afterthought, systems like BlueOrbit are adding a new dimension to what pools can offer.
Instead of isolating therapy to a spa or a single seating area, the concept introduces movement to the entire body of water.
When asked how many of their projects today incorporate some form of hydrotherapy feature, both Van Bower and Perrella answered without hesitation.
“Almost every single one of them.”
Marco Perrella says he recognized early on that water movement would become an important part of the pools he designs.
His first real experience with the concept came about a decade ago when a client approached him with a specific requirement, swim training at home.
“We installed a Riverflow system and saw the joy when our customer jumped in for the first session,” he said. “That opened up our eyes.”
“We’ve done at least a half dozen pools with these systems and I don’t think they get used as much for swimming laps as they do for the movement of the water.”
In other words, what began as a training tool quickly proved to be something more.
Clients enjoyed the feeling of moving water itself. Those shared realizations got the team at Riverflow thinking.
“We started talking about the idea of creating a softer experience,” said Phil De Tournillon. “Instead of strong directional flow, what if the water moved in a gentle circular pattern that everyone in the pool could enjoy?.”
Over time, that thinking evolved into BlueOrbit, a system designed to create a more subdued current that moves around the pool in a continuous circular pattern.
Rather than producing a powerful stream intended for athletic resistance, the system creates a softer, more relaxing movement that circulates through the water, gently pulling swimmers along and creating a slow whirlpool-like effect throughout the vessel.
It’s a different kind of water experience—one that prioritizes relaxation and sensory enjoyment rather than performance.
For builders like Perrella and Van Bower, the growing interest in wellness features signals a broader evolution in how purpose-built pools are being designed.
Homeowners are no longer looking for pools that simply look beautiful from the patio. Increasingly, they want environments that support everyday lifestyle, health, and enjoyment.
If the client is looking for the pleasing sensation of moving water—something that adds energy and life to the pool without overwhelming the experience— BlueOrbit may provide the answer.
Read the entire article.
BY JOE TRUSTY
Drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death among children in the United States. It’s a sobering reality that hits hardest in underserved communities where access to swim lessons and aquatic facilities is limited. That’s where Step Into Swim, an initiative of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, continues to step in with purpose.
Since launching in 2012, Step Into Swim has provided more than 500,000 swim lessons to children across the U.S. and beyond. In 2025 alone, the program raised over $1.5 million, funding learnto-swim programs in 43 states, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Grand Cayman, and Canada — providing nearly 20,000 children with access to life-saving water safety education. Every dollar donated goes directly toward programming.
Behind those numbers is a growing coalition of manufacturers, distributors,
trade organizations, and technology providers who see water safety as a shared responsibility. At the center of the program’s outreach is threetime Olympic gold medalist Rowdy Gaines, who serves as Vice President of Partnerships and Development for PHTA.
This year, Hayward expanded its multi-year partnership with a $50,000 donation — comprised of $25,000 in cash and $25,000 in equipment — earning Platinumlevel supporter status. Hayward President and CEO Kevin Holleran emphasized that the company’s commitment extends beyond product innovation.
“Access to swimming pools and water safety education is essential to protecting families and strengthening communities,” Holleran said. “Hayward’s continued support of Step Into Swim helps more children access life-saving learn-to-swim programs. Investing in water safety means investing in safer futures.”
For Heritage Pool Supply Group, giving back is woven directly into company culture. Through its Heritage Cares Foundation, the distributor contributed $100,000 to Step Into Swim following its annual charity concert at the Pool & Spa Show in Atlantic City.
“This initiative is very close to our hearts as it aims to create more swimmers and teach children in underserved communities across the country to swim,” said Scott Frost, President of Heritage Pool Supply Group.
“By working together, we can make a significant impact and ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn this essential life skill.”
Heritage Cares has selected Step Into Swim as a beneficiary for five consecutive years, helping raise awareness across the pool, spa, and hot tub industry while funding swim access for thousands of children.
Now in its third year supporting Step Into Swim, Pentair Pool
announced a $100,000 contribution as part of its broader commitment to drowning prevention and water safety education.
“Everyone’s journey should start with a safe introduction to the water,” said Greg Claffey, President of Pentair Pool. “This partnership lets us give back to our communities in a meaningful way — by supporting local families through helping future swimmers learn the skills that keep them safe in and around the water.”
Marking its fifth consecutive year of support, Fluidra continued its partnership with a $100,000 donation. Jon Viner, President of Fluidra North America, said water safety extends well beyond the pool deck.
“Ensuring children have the skills to be safe and confident around water is a responsibility that extends beyond the pool,” Viner said. “Through our support of Step Into Swim, we’re helping broaden access to swim education that can truly change — and save — lives.”
Another major supporter helping expand Step Into Swim’s reach is the NESPA Foundation, which continued its partnership as a Diamond Level supporter with a $100,000 donation presented during the 2026 Pool & Spa Show in Atlantic City.
“Our partnership with Step Into Swim is a testament to what we can achieve when the industry unites for a common cause,” said Jeremy Hasbrouck, President of the NESPA Foundation. “Our matching program has successfully quadrupled funding, turning our members’ generosity into swim lessons.”
Following the show, the NESPA Foundation also presented a $35,000 Step Into Swim grant to the Atlantic City Boys & Girls Club to support local learn-to-swim programming.
Support for Step Into Swim also extends beyond the largest manufacturers. AquaStar Pool Products, Periodic Products, and Pool Shark H2O renewed their partnerships with combined donations totaling $50,000 — including $20,000 from AquaStar, $20,000 from Periodic Products, and $10,000 from Pool Shark H2O.
“At AquaStar Pool Products, safety isn’t just what we manufacture — it’s what we believe in,” said Steve Barnes, Director of Science and Compliance at AquaStar Pool Products. “Teaching children and families to swim saves lives, and we are proud to deepen our commitment.”
Periodic Products has also contributed to the Rowdy Gaines Water Safety Champion Endowment Fund, helping establish long-term funding for Step Into Swim.
“Our continued partnership is a win for everyone involved, especially the kids who otherwise may not get access to these lifesaving swim lessons,” said Scott Trafton, President and Co-founder of Pool Shark H2O.
What makes Step Into Swim especially powerful is its collaborative model. Manufacturers, distributors, and industry partners are pooling resources around a shared goal: reducing childhood drowning and expanding access to swim education. Every lesson funded represents one more child gaining the confidence and skills needed to stay safe around water.
Read the whole article...
BY JOE TRUSTY PHOTO: SWIMMINGPOOLMASTERY.COM
After spending nearly five decades building custom swimming pools in Northern California, industry veteran Mike Logan thought retirement might finally be in the cards. But after stepping away from the business he helped shape for nearly half a century, something kept pulling him back.
Now Logan is returning to the industry with a new focus: helping pool builders strengthen their sales process.
“I started in 1976,” Logan explained. “If you do the math to today, that’s about fifty years. Think about how much the world changed between 1930 and 1980. That’s about the same level of change we’ve seen in the industry since I first started.”
When Logan started his business, most leads came from a single source.
“About eighty percent of our business came from the Yellow Pages,” he recalled. “If you weren’t
in the phone book, you basically didn’t exist.”
Today, the buying process has moved almost entirely online. Homeowners research companies extensively before ever contacting a builder. They compare portfolios, read reviews, and evaluate multiple contractors in a matter of minutes. That shift has dramatically increased competition. Consumers can evaluate dozens of companies quickly, making differentiation more difficult than ever.
“They can check out twenty builders in half an hour,” Logan explained. “That makes it a tougher sale if you don’t know how to position yourself.”
As technology has progressed, the sales process has evolved as well. The traditional one-call close—once common in the industry—is now rare.
“In the early days we’d go out to the house, draw the pool on graph paper, price it on the spot, and
close the deal at the kitchen table,” Logan explained. “Today it’s a multi-appointment process.”
Technology has also changed how builders present projects. Modern 3D design software allows companies to create realistic renderings quickly. While these tools offer impressive visuals, Logan believes they no longer provide a competitive advantage.
“At one time, having 3D design software really differentiated you,” he said. “Now almost every builder has it. When everyone uses the same tools, it stops being a differentiator.”
Logan’s focus on sales developed early in his career after noticing a troubling pattern among other builders.
“I watched companies open up with owners who were fantastic builders,” he said. “These guys knew construction inside and out, but within a few years they were out of business.”
The problem wasn’t construction quality—it was sales.
“They knew how to build a pool,” Logan said. “They just didn’t know how to sell one.”
Meanwhile, less experienced builders with strong salespeople were consistently winning jobs. That realization reshaped Logan’s priorities.
“If you don’t have sales, it doesn’t matter how good you are at building pools,” he said. “You’re not going to have anything to build.”
Logan immersed himself in sales training, studying psychology, persuasion, and presentation techniques. He read books, attended seminars, and sought out guidance from leading sales trainers. Over time, that focus helped Logan develop a structured sales process that consistently produced results for his company. Always eager to share what he’s learned from decades in the field, Logan wrote a sales guide called Rich Contractor, Poor Contractor and was once dubbed “the Zig Ziglar of the pool industry” by Pool & Spa News.
After retiring a few years ago, Logan initially planned to spend more time traveling and enjoying his retirement. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that the lessons he had learned over decades in the business could help other builders. Logan began organizing his materials into a formal training system. The result became Swimming Pool Sales Mastery, a program designed to guide salespeople through every step of the pool sales process.
Many companies rely on a simple formula: show a portfolio, explain equipment features, present a design, and provide a price. When competitors follow the same approach, the customer often perceives little difference between builders.
When everyone presents the same way, it eventually comes down to price,” Logan said. Instead, Logan believes successful companies must build value throughout the sales process by positioning themselves as trusted advisors rather than traditional salespeople.
“When done correctly, the customer begins to see you as someone guiding them through a complicated decision,” he said.
Read the entire article...
BY LAUREN BROOM
Working around swimming pools presents a unique combination of hazards, and electricity is one of the most serious. Pool professionals regularly deal with pumps, heaters, lighting systems, automation panels, and other electrical components—all in close proximity to water. This combination significantly increases the risk of electrical shock, burns, and even fatal incidents.
Understanding and following Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) electrical safety standards is essential for protecting both technicians and pool users.
Electrical hazards are a major risk for pool technicians because water increases conductivity. Wet surfaces, damp equipment, or
standing water can allow electricity to travel unintended paths, making even low voltages dangerous and capable of causing severe shock or injury.
Faulty wiring, damaged equipment, or improperly grounded components such as pumps, heaters, and lights can expose technicians or swimmers to electrical current. While electrocution is rare, it is often fatal when it occurs.
Technicians must also be aware of arc flash risks—sudden electrical discharges that release extreme heat and pressure, capable of causing severe burns, blast injuries, and equipment damage.
OSHA requires all electrical systems to be designed and maintained to prevent hazards. For pool operations, this includes:
Overcurrent protection: Circuits must be protected by properly rated circuit breakers or fuses to prevent overheating and fires.
Grounding and bonding: All electrical equipment must be correctly grounded and bonded. Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) are critical in pool environments and should be used on all applicable outlets and equipment.
Proper wiring: Cables and conductors must be adequately insulated and protected from moisture, corrosion, and physical damage.
Electrical installations around pools must also follow the National Electrical Code (NEC), which sets specific requirements for aquatic facilities.
Safe distances: Electrical outlets, switches, and junction boxes must be installed at regulated distances from the water—generally between 5 and 10 feet, depending on the equipment.
Approved equipment: Only electrical components specifically designed and listed for wet or damp locations should be used. Pool equipment should be UL-listed and rated for aquatic environments.
One of the most critical safety practices for pool technicians is lockout/tagout. This procedure prevents equipment from being accidentally energized while maintenance or repairs are being performed.
Before starting electrical work, technicians must:
• Turn off and isolate the power source.
• Apply a lock and tag to the disconnecting device.
• Verify that the system is de-energized using an approved voltage tester.
Skipping lockout/tagout is one of the leading causes of serious electrical injuries in maintenance work.
OSHA requires workers to use appropriate PPE when exposed to electrical hazards. For pool professionals, this may include:
• Insulated gloves: Rubber or electrically rated gloves help protect against shock.
• Insulated footwear: Rubber-soled boots reduce the risk of grounding through the body.
• Eye protection: Safety glasses protect against sparks, debris, and arc flash.
• Arc flash protection: When working with higher voltage systems, flame-resistant clothing and face shields may be required.
PPE should never replace proper procedures—but it provides an essential layer of protection.
Technical knowledge alone is not enough. OSHA emphasizes that workers must be properly trained to recognize and control electrical hazards.
Effective training should include:
• Identifying electrical risks in pool environments.
• Proper use of tools, PPE, and testing devices.
• Safe de-energizing and lockout/tagout practices.
• Emergency response procedures, including CPR and first aid for electrical injuries.
Employers are responsible for ensuring technicians receive adequate training and understand safe work practices.
Regular inspections play a major role in preventing electrical incidents. Pool professionals should routinely:
• Inspect pumps, heaters, lighting, and control panels for damage or wear.
• Test GFCI devices monthly.
• Check for exposed wiring, corrosion, or water intrusion.
• Replace damaged components immediately.
Proactive maintenance reduces downtime and significantly lowers the risk of accidents.
Some of the most frequent OSHA violations seen in the pool industry include:
• Missing or non-functional GFCIs.
• Improper grounding or bonding of equipment.
• Failure to follow lockout/ tagout procedures.
• Not wearing PPE and using non-rated PPE in wet areas.
These violations not only increase injury risk but can also result in fines and liability for employers.
Electrical safety is a critical responsibility for every pool professional. The combination of water and electrical system mistakes can lead to severe injuries or fatalities.
By following OSHA standards, using proper PPE, maintaining equipment, and committing to ongoing training, pool technicians can dramatically reduce electrical risks. Safe work practices protect employees, customers, and businesses alike—making electrical safety not just a requirement, but a professional obligation.
Read the whole article.
BY MARCUS PACKER
The Florida pool industry entered 2026 with a significant regulatory victory that could have lasting implications for builders, contractors, and homeowners across the state. In a unanimous vote, the Florida Building Commission approved language for the 2026 Florida Building Code that formally allows the continued use of single wire copper loop bonding in swimming pool construction.
The change follows months of advocacy from the Florida Swimming Pool Association (FSPA), which argued that removing the method would unnecessarily restrict construction options and significantly increase costs for consumers.
Dallas Thiesen, Chief Government Relations Officer for FSPA, said the decision represents an important
moment for both the industry and Florida homeowners.
“FSPA had put forward a proposal that would codify the provisions for number eight single wire copper ring bonding in the Florida building code,” Thiesen explained. “Traditionally, the Florida building code has always deferred to the National Electric Code on our bonding and a lot of our electrical provisions. But this year our industry felt it was necessary to establish single wire loop bonding as an approved and effective method in the state of Florida.”
The commission ultimately agreed, adopting the proposal unanimously.
The approval came as part of Florida’s regular building code revision cycle. The state updates its building code every three years,
with proposals reviewed first by technical committees before advancing to the Florida Building Commission for final approval.
During the most recent cycle, the commission reviewed and confirmed a wide range of proposals that will shape the 2026 Florida Building Code. Among them was FSPA’s effort to ensure single wire loop bonding remained a recognized construction method.
“What happened last month was the building commission was voting on confirming all the proposals that had been submitted for the 2026 version of the building code,” Thiesen said. “The technical committees had already reviewed the amendments and the commission ultimately agreed with their recommendations.”
The unanimous vote ensures that
single wire loop bonding will remain explicitly permitted in Florida’s pool construction standards moving forward.
The push for codification was largely driven by recent changes at the national level.
Historically, Florida has relied heavily on the National Electrical Code (NEC) for standards related to electrical systems and bonding requirements. However, revisions to the NEC introduced uncertainty around the continued acceptance of single wire loop bonding.
According to Thiesen, the NEC removed the method as an approved bonding option in recent revisions.
“With the National Electric Code, we’ve traditionally deferred to their standards regarding bonding,” he said. “However, in a technical interim amendment to their 2023 code and in the upcoming 2026 NEC code, they eliminated single wire loop bonding as an approved bonding method.”
FSPA and other industry stakeholders believed that decision was based on insufficient evidence and could negatively impact Florida builders and homeowners.
“We believed this was based on not very good evidence,” Thiesen said. “So the industry went out and studied the issue.”
One of the key factors behind the commission’s decision was research conducted by the Pool Industry Council examining bonding methods and voltage mitigation.
The study found that both single wire loop bonding and grid bonding effectively mitigate voltage gradients around swimming pools.
“We found that single wire loop bonding and grid bonding are both effective at mitigating voltage gradients,” Thiesen said.
FSPA also presented federal safety data to reinforce its position.
“From 2009 to 2025 there were 74 swimming pool and spa shock incidents reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission,” Thiesen noted. “Not a single one of them was related to
failure of a single wire bond.”
That evidence helped demonstrate that the longstanding method remained a safe and viable construction practice.
Single wire loop bonding has been part of Florida’s pool construction standards for decades. While it has been formally codified in the state building code for more than 20 years, the method itself has been used even longer. Over that time, Thiesen says it has consistently proven effective.
“It’s been codified for over 20 years in Florida, and it’s been used longer than that,” he said. “Time and time again it has been demonstrated that it effectively protects against stray voltage gradients.”
For contractors, engineers, and pool builders across Florida, the decision preserves flexibility in how pools can be designed and constructed.
“It’s about having options,” Thiesen said. “Each pool is unique and each property is unique. The contractor, the engineer, and the homeowner should be able to decide which method is best for that project.”
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