Water As Art – Aquatic Aesthetics

I’ve always been amazed and delighted by how beauty can emerge from the unexpected, or even an accident. One of the best examples I can think of was how the great modernist painter Jackson Pollock discovered his groundbreaking drip-painting technique when he spilled paint on the floor of his studio. That simple accident and resulting …

The Argument Against Saltwater Pools

When discussing chemical treatment options for pools and spas, I’m often asked about saltwater chlorination. Many people have heard a lot of good things about it and are curious if it’s a good choice for them. I’ll come clean right here at the start and say that I am not an advocate of this technology, …

Most Pools and Spas Are Contaminated – A Solution Exists

It’s become a rite of spring. Every year, for at least the last three years running, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) releases information about the spread of waterborne illnesses through contaminated water in pools, spas, and splash pads. The reports mainly focus on the risk of infection from Cryptosporidium and other …

Evaluating Return On Investment – The Value of Superior Water Quality

Recently, a prospective client asked a very telling question. We were discussing the benefits of using our system, which combines ozone, UV, and small amounts of chlorine, when the client asked, “What is the return on investment for our system as compared to using traditional chlorine-only sanitation?” It certainly wasn’t the first time I’ve been …

Embracing Water Quality Education – SRK’s Company Culture

For as long as I’ve worked in the aquatics industry, there’s always been a tremendous amount of talk about “education.” The basic patter is that our industry lacks formal educational opportunities, and if we want to be successful, both individually and as an industry, we have to up our game. While I generally agree with …

The Magic Of Water – A Short Essay

My daughter Georgia likes to sum up my career by saying, “My dad was a chef and then he met water.” Truer words have never been spoken. Yes, I started my professional life as a chef, trained in the fine art of French cuisine. But then I “met water” and became a professional in the …

Communication is Key to Customer Service

It’s pretty obvious. The better we are at communicating with each other, the more successful we are likely to be in all facets of our lives, both individually and collectively, in business and in our personal lives. Communication applies to everything. From my past work in the restaurant business, for example, I’ve learned that there …

A Kid’s Eye View of Pool and Spa Water Quality

“My dad was a chef, until he met water.” — Georgia Kenny In one of my previous blogs, I briefly mentioned how important and useful it is to listen to what people using a particular pool or spa say about their experience in the water. If they’re complaining about the smell, or if their eyes …

Advancing Water Quality – Partnering with Like-Minded Professionals

When you’re on a crusade, it’s great to know that you’re not alone. That was the overwhelming feeling I had when I had the pleasure of attending the Water Quality Association’s (WQA) 2018 Convention and Exposition in Denver.  The event drew more than 3,000 professionals from a variety of industries, all with the shared interest …

Chlorine’s True Role In Maintaining Water Quality

For more than 100 years, chlorine has been the primary chemical used to treat swimming pool water and public drinking water. It remains in widespread use in spite of the fact that it has stiff competition from so-called alternative sanitizers. For all of its water-treatment supremacy, chlorine is poorly misunderstood. To a large extent, it …