SPLASH 140 February-March 2022

Swimming Pools / Leisure / Aquatics / Spas / Health

Issue 140 February/March 2022

Hydraulic efficiency And pump technology Retaining staff For aquatic centres The power of the pool In selling apartments

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Published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd ABN 940 025 83 682 41 Bridge Road, Glebe, NSW, 2037 Australia Ph: (02) 9660 2113 Fax: (02) 9660 4419 On behalf of The Swimming Pool & Spa Association of Australia Ltd (SPASA Australia) Publisher: Simon Cooper Managing Editor: Chris Maher Phone: 0412 048 639 Email: chrismaher@intermedia.com.au

editorial Please stay safe during these devastating floods

Contributors: Veda Dante, Cal Stanley, Patrick Redmond, Brett Lloyd Abbott, Paul Simons, Nic Brill Advertising Manager: David Stennett Phone: 0404 725 554 Email: david@spasa.com.au Art Director: Chris Papaspiros Production Manager: Jacqui Cooper Subscriptions: 1800 651 422 Email: subscriptions@intermedia.com.au Copyright All material in this publication is copyright to the publisher and/or its contributors. No material may be reproduced without the express permission of the publishers.

Disclaimer: This publication is published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”) on behalf of SPASA Australia. Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws.

Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.

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Copyright © 2022 - SPASA Australia.

Chris Maher Managing Editor chrismaher@ intermedia.com.au

As one problem starts to abate, another raises its ugly head.

It was more than two years ago that the devastation of fierce summer bushfires was replaced by the myriad troubles associated with covid.

Now, just as we dare to hope that covid is fading away, we have the return of seemingly endless rain and terrible flooding. This record-breaking deluge is causing serious problems for people in New South Wales and Queensland in particular. Homeless, businesses ruined, many have become refugees in their own towns. Sadly, people have also lost their lives.

Please stay safe. We are thinking of you.

On a more positive note, there is some good news for the industry as a whole.

The level of demand for swimming pools and spas has never been as high as it is now – and it is set to continue throughout the year.

This outlook comes from anecdotal evidence, from supplier information and from development application data, which shows the increase in interest has been sustained and there is no indication of it waning.

The most impressive evidence of the level of consumer demand is the number of visitors at the recent Melbourne Pool & Spa Lifestyle Expo. You could be forgiven for expecting relatively few numbers on the ground, given the only recently eased restrictions, but the opposite was the case.

Exhibitors were ecstatic about how many people came through the door. Even more importantly, these people were keen on buying – the only people who seemed not to turn up were the tyre kickers.

Builders’ books were filled up not only for this year, but into next year. If there was any criticism, it seemed to be that some exhibitors didn’t bring enough staff to handle the constant level of enquiry.

This bodes well for the continuing health of the market. And there’s still plenty of consumer shows to be held around the country over the next few months.

And of course, in June we have the industry’s trade show – the biggest in the region and the Southern Hemisphere – SPLASH! on the Gold Coast.

I can hardly wait.

Proudly supported by

The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the above supporters, nor should any product advertised in SPLASH! magazine be seen to be endorsed by the above.

The cover The cover shows the National Commercial Pool of the Year by Aloha Pools. Straddling two towers, this amazing pool is the only one of its kind in Australia. Photography by Craig Moodie. There is more on this pool on page 54.

February/March 2022

SPLASH! 9

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40

Contents 23

31

The power of the pool David Bowen from Skye Suites explains why swimming pools are so popular for people living in and visiting their venues.

24

IPSPE literally brings people together Brett Lloyd Abbott offers his view on the latest US expo held last November in Texas, taking place in a hiatus between the delta variant easing off and omicron taking hold.

Multiple factors impacting the importation of pool chemicals Paul Simons enlightens us on the factors behind the current global logistics chaos, and the resultant effects on local pool chemical supply.

34

27

New year, new opportunities Nic Brill outlines what he sees as three key trends in 2022, following two years that presented myriad challenges but also opportunities for the pool industry.

26

Swim jets, suction and cavitation Cal Stanley explains how suction applies to swim jet requirements; and how cavitation affects not only suction, but the integrity of the pool pump.

39

Pool pumps and hydraulic efficiency Veda Date looks at how innovation and technological advances are improving the efficiency of the most energy hungry piece of pool equipment.

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Tips for photographing swimming pools Patrick Redmond, who photographed the 2021 National Pool of the Year, offers some photography tips to prepare prospective entrants for the upcoming awards season.

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regulars News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Commercial news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Pool DAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

New products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Ad index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

54

A dream pool hovering above the street The unique winner of the 2021 National Commercial Project of the Year, making a powerful statement both from the street and from the rooftop.

58

Retaining aquatics staff during the skills shortage Veda Dante looks at the rise in demand for pool lifeguards and swimming instructors, and what aquatic centres and pool schools are doing about it.

February/March 2022

SPLASH! 11

news

Expos

Outstanding success of Melbourne Pool & Spa Lifestyle Expo proves consumers are ready to buy SPASA Australia’s Melbourne Pool & Spa Lifestyle Expo was held over the weekend of February 4-6 at the Melbourne Showgrounds, with thousands of eager buyers attending over the three days.

The expo exceeded all expectations

There were thousands of qualified consumers who knew exactly what they were looking for

Exhibitors say they were run off their feet and that the expo clearly exceeded expectations.

This is a boon for the industry, as it shows despite covid still affecting parts of the country, consumers are keen to get out when it is safe to do so and were eager to buy swimming pools, spas and associated equipment.

The Showgrounds proved an ideal venue, with easy access, ample parking and plenty of space for exhibitors and attendees.

SPASA Australia CEO Lindsay McGrath says that they were celebrating the courageous commitment by the exhibitors who supported the event.

The airy venue was excellent for the seminars

“Exhibitors were rewarded with an incredible volume of quality attendees who came with the clear intent to purchase a pool and spa,” he says.

Melbourne-based SPASA business development officer, Daena Bougoure-Latchford, says that the expo exceeded all expectations.

“I haven’t spoken to an exhibitor yet who doesn’t have at least a year’s work in front of them,” she says.

Dave Franklin from The Block and Best Pools was a special guest

“The only problem was there wasn’t enough industry at the expo to meet the consumer demand. It was very clear that these qualified consumers knew exactly what they were looking for and were looking to connect with every trade, product and service that relates to buying a pool or spa.”

Janina Geraghty, trade marketing manager of Fluidra agrees, saying the local Fluidra team members were run off their feet.

“They were busy the entire three days of the event answering questions from enthusiastic pool and spa consumers who came to visit our stand.

Despite the expectation that covid could affect attendance, our stand has never been busier!”

Covid restrictions didn’t deter the keen consumers

Geraghty says it was clear that many attendees had been doing their research online and were keen to engage with pool and spa builders and suppliers in person, under one roof, before making a final decision on their investment.

A new exhibitor app was used to capture details of leads, aid reporting and even help manage staff numbers during peak times.

12

SPLASH!

February/March 2022

The Showgrounds was an ideal venue, with easy access, ample parking and plenty of space

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Wow, it’s been amazing! Beyond our expectations, we started on Friday and just thought there’d be a small crowd, but we were run off our feet! – Heavenly Saunas It’s been fantastic, more than we expected, Friday turned out to be really very good and (Saturday) we were inundated, I could’ve done with another salesperson! – Just Spas So pleased we got involved and everyone’s really, really busy. It was a really good decision to stick at it and the crowds have been sensational – Supreme Heating We’ve been flat out for three days…haven’t come up for air…pool owners, new pool prospective owners, it’s been a great time…well worth it, well worth it – Boss Solar We’ve had really good traffic through…and the buyers, probably compared to other things we’ve been at, really keen to go and no tyre-kickers – Summertime Pools The team’s put in a huge effort and they’ve blown my expectations away, the numbers through the door have blown everyone’s expectations away, been an absolute enormous success – Sunbather We have had lines waiting up for us to experience our knowledge, find out about the product, and buy – it’s just been an amazing, mind-blowing weekend – Hot Spring Spas

Next expos May 14-15: Pool & Spa Lifestyle Expo NSW Rosehill Gardens Racecourse May 28-29: Pool & Spa Lifestyle Expo Queensland Exhibition Building, Brisbane Showgrounds

Annual pool DAs maintain growth, up 27 per cent Comparing the available pool DA figures for the 12 months to January with the same time last year, annual applications are up 27 per cent nationally, with Western Australia and Queensland both up by 47 per cent, Victoria up by 32 per cent, New South Wales up by 18 per cent and South Australia down by 29 per cent.

The numbers eased off a little over the most recent three months but were still up by 11 per cent nationally. The November-January numbers from Cordell show Western Australia up by 37 per cent, Queensland up by 32 per cent, Victoria up eight per cent, New South Wales up four per cent, and South Australia down by 51 per cent.

Yearly comparison by month

Some exhibitor comments

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Year old Year new Unfortunately SPASA WA’s March consumer expo had to be postponed due 7000 to the uncertainty surrounding Western Australia’s border closures. The 6000 expo will return to Claremont Showgrounds on September 10 and 11, with 5000 all existing bookings carrying over to the September show.

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SPASA WA executive officer Sadie Davidson says that by then there 3000 should be less uncertainty around restrictions.

2000organiser show

“That will give and participants a chance to navigate to those conditions, and everything will be ready come September.

1000 Oct Nov

“We will also be launching a virtual show in September,” she says. “This 0 NSW VIC QLD WA SA Dec Jan will give people another chance to visit the show in a covid-friendly way. We had considered this earlier, but you need to have the actual physical show set up to be able to host the virtual show.”

Once the September show is up and running, a production team will come through with 3D cameras, and virtual visitors will be able to “walk through” the show.

“It will also be great for people in the regions, FIFO workers and anyone else who can’t make the show,” she says.

Yearly comparison by State

Sep 10-11: SPASA WA Pool, Spa & Outdoor Living Expo Claremont Showgrounds 1500

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Yearly comparison national

Aug 5-7: Pool & Spa Lifestyle Expo NZ 2000 Auckland Showgrounds

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July 23-24: Pool & Spa Lifestyle Expo SA Wayville Pavilion, Royal Adelaide Year old ShowgroundsYear new 2500

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While these figures give an indication of the way the market is trending, they are not comprehensive and don’t include all pools built or even all DAs lodged. By some estimates, the total national numbers including all types of pools could be almost double these figures. They do not include pool projects that are approved as part of a new home, smaller projects under the cost threshold, renovations that don’t require a DA, or some aboveground pools. Additionally, not all councils are forthcoming with data or report on time; councils in some states such as Queensland and Victoria are particularly reluctant. For further information, call Cordell Information on 1800 80 60 60.

February/March 2022

SPLASH! 13

0

news

Associations

Fundraising

Bush bashing to help disadvantaged kids Daisy Pool Covers managing director Derek Prince completed the Variety WA Bash at the end of last year, helping raise $1,074,000 for Western Australia’s disadvantaged children.

The Ore to Shore event started in Dampier, went through historical Cossack to Marble Bar, Karaijini, Pannawonica and Onslow before finishing in Exmouth.

There were many kilometres travelled including a few rough and interesting tracks with many laughs, but most importantly – lots of money raised for Variety – the Children’s Charity.

Car 18 is already booked in and raising donations for the 2022 Bash.

Go to www.splashmagazine.com.au/QuickLinks140 to donate.

SPASA WA calls in police to investigate financial discrepancies The Swimming Pool and Spa Association of WA (SPASA WA) has asked WA Police to investigate a number of alleged discrepancies in its financial records dating back over a period of almost seven years from 2014.

Executive officer Sadie Davidson, who has been in the role since April 2021, says the decision to seek police assistance followed a detailed internal investigation undertaken with the support of a forensic accountant and legal advice.

“The picture which appears to be emerging is extremely concerning, however, I can assure all members that the association is in a very strong position – financially and operationally – and we continue to work very hard on their behalf.”

SPASA WA, which has about 220 members, has already tightened its governance arrangements including the introduction of a new finance sub-committee to review all financials each month, a new human resources policies including a new policy relating to the use of credit cards, and a whistle-blower policy.

Davidson says that SPASA WA would not be making further comment at this time and hoped the police investigation would bring a speedy resolution to the matter.

SPASA WA has called for any members who have evidence that may assist the WA Police to come forward with their information.

It should be noted that SPASA WA is a separate and independent entity to SPASA Australia.

SPASA Australia CEO Lindsay McGrath offered SPASA Australia’s support to SPASA WA and its members in this difficult time.

On the road again – for a good cause

Top five online news stories

Keep informed by subscribing to the free online newsletter.

Fluidra and Insnrg reach settlement in patent dispute Insnrg and Fluidra Australia reached a settlement in relation to patent disputes involving two models of variable speed pump and two chlorinators.

14

SPLASH!

The online stories that made the news over the past two months.

Fire ravages Perth fibreglass pool factory The Freedom Pools factory at Kenwick in Western Australia suffered a serious fire on January 27 but luckily no one was physically injured in the incident.

February/March 2022

Looking back at 2021 – the pool and spa industry in review We looked at some of the good, the bad, and the exciting developments that made 2021 another intriguing year for the pool, spa and aquatics industries.

Momentum builds for Best Pools as more sponsors climb onboard Four major partnerships had already been secured for Australia’s first TV series featuring the nation’s Best Pools.

Swimmer Maddie Groves makes more explosive accusations Olympic medallist Madeline Groves made further accusations including that she was sexually abused at a young age by an adult who still works in swimming.

news

Upcoming events 2022 Mar 26-28

International Swim Coaches Association Summit, St Petersburg, Fl, USA

Apr 4-7

Clark Conference, Brisbane

Apr 8

SPASA Awards Deadline

May 10-12

DesignBuild, MCEC, Melbourne

May 14-15

Pool & Spa Lifestyle Expo NSW

May 28-29

Pool & Spa Lifestyle Expo Queensland

June 16-17

Fitness and Wellness Australia, ICC Sydney

June 21-23

Australian Swim Schools Association National Conference, Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre (SPLASH! Week Event)

June 22-23

SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show, Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre

July 1-2

Awards Gala SA & NT (Virtual & Actual)

July 10

Spa & Pool Show + Backyard & Garden Show, Melbourne

July 15-16

Awards Gala Vic & Tas (Virtual & Actual)

July 22-23

Awards Gala Qld (Virtual & Actual)

July 23-24

Pool & Spa Lifestyle Expo SA

July 29-30

Awards Gala NSW & Vic (Virtual & Actual)

Aug 5-7

Pool & Spa Lifestyle Expo NZ

Aug 12

Awards Gala NZ (Virtual & Actual)

Sep 2

National Awards of Excellence Gala (Virtual & Actual)

Sep 17-20

ASCTA Con 22, SeaWorld, Gold Coast

Sep 28-30

Japan Build, Osaka

Oct 25-28

Interbad, Germany

Nov 15-18

Piscine Global Expo, Lyon, France

Nov 29-30

Piscina22, Rimini, Italy

More details at splashmagazine.com.au. Dates are subject to change and should be checked with the relevant organisation.

Send calendar submissions to info@splashmagazine.com.au.

www.waterco.com February/March 2022

SPLASH! 15

news

Recalls

In Brief EvoHeat, Hayward Pool Products and Sunbather have been announced as SPASA Australia’s Gold Industry Partners for 2022, joining Fluidra, the Platinum Industry Partner for 2022 and AIS Water, Daisy, Naked Pools, Pentair and Waterco as Silver Industry Partners.

The partnerships encompass the Awards of Excellence programs across Australia and New Zealand, regional member networking events, meetings and forums, the SPLASH! Pool & Trade Show, the SPASA Leadership Convention, the WAVES women in industry events, and industry training and education events.

AIS Water has won the Embracing Innovation award (Queensland) at the Telstra Best of Business Awards. A massive 24,310 nominations were received for the awards.

CEO Elena Gosse says the awards are one of the most respected business awards programs in Australia, and the application and judging process was rigorous. “I want to dedicate this win to every staff member, past and present, who has contributed to our history of innovation and success, as well as our customers who put the safety of their pool staff and swimmers first by adopting our technology,” she says.

AIS previously won the award in 2009.

Blue Haven has been named in BOSS Magazine’s list of most innovative companies, as well as being named in the AFR’s most innovative property and construction companies in 2021. Also, CEO Remonda Martinez recently joined Australia’s Top 100 Women, a construction industry group for women. She plans to conduct a sales and mentoring program for industry women in 2022.

16

SPLASH!

February/March 2022

Spa, noodles and pool recalled Vortex Gemini spa The Vortex Gemini two-person portable spa has been recalled.

The product does not comply with the Australian safety standard. The spa has only one suction outlet on the spa jet pump recirculation system, instead of two; the jet pump recirculation system has no way to release vacuum pressure at a single outlet.

There is an increased risk of drowning if a person’s hair, clothes or body parts are trapped by the single suction outlet. If trapped, a person may not be able to return to the surface and may suffer significant injury or drown.

Consumers should immediately stop using the spa and contact Spa World Australia to organise for a technician to repair the spa on site.

The spa was supplied by Vortex Leisure Pty Limited and sold through Spa World Australia, Pool and Spa World Tasmania and Pool Works Shepparton between September 1, 2017, and December 15, 2021.

Internal compliance audit Tony Jones, head of quality and compliance at Spa World Australia, says that as an industry leader, Spa World takes the safety of the public and the industry very seriously and is dedicated to protecting the integrity of the industry as a whole.

“The issue with the Gemini Spa was identified as part of a recent internal compliance audit. As a result Spa World immediately started a voluntary recall process with the affected customers and notified the ACCC,” Jones says.

He points out that while the recall was voluntary in nature in that Spa World instigated the recall and not a regulatory authority, it is not in any way implying that consumer participation is voluntary.

“All affected customers have been contacted by email and/or text and we have had direct telephone conversations with all but a small number of affected customers regarding the issue and the process for rectifying the issue,” he says.

“Remedial works have commenced on affected spas in the market. It is expected that the majority, if not all, affected spas will have been modified by the end of February 2022.”

For more information, contact Spa World Australia on 1300 950 849 or gemini@spaworld.com.au.

Bestway Aqua Bone noodles Bestway Aqua Bone assorted pool noodles have been recalled.

The product does not meet the labelling requirements of the mandatory safety standard

Vortex Gemini two-person portable spa VidaXL swimming pool

Bestway Aqua Bone noodles for aquatic toys. The product’s warning label is removable.

If the warning sticker is removed, users may not be aware of important safety information about the use of the product (for example, only use under supervision). There is potentially an increased risk of drowning if the product is not used as intended.

Consumers should stop using the product and contact Bestway Australia to receive a refund.

As not all batches of this product are affected, consumers will be asked to provide a photograph of both sides of the product’s head to help identify whether their product is included in the recall.

Consumers will be asked to dispose of or destroy affected products.

The product was sold through Woolworths stores nationally from October 1, 2021 to December 3, 2021 For more information, contact Bestway Australia on service@bestwaycorp.com.au.

VidaXL swimming pool The VidaXL swimming pool with steel frame has been recalled.

The liner of the pool can tear during use, which can cause the pool to drain. If the pool drains, this can increase the risk of a fall injury and cause damage to property.

Consumer should immediately stop using the swimming pool and contact HB Commerce Pty Ltd for instructions on how to return the product and receive a refund.

The product was sold online between September 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021.

Consumers can email customer service at recall@vidaxl.com.au for instructions on how to return the product and receive a refund.

www.remco.com.au

news

Industry moves

Two new SPASA staff members Rachael Bambry has been appointed RTO manager at IRLearning, SPASA Australia’s registered training organisation.

Bambry has 14 years’ experience in the vocational education and training sector (VET) with positions ranging from customer service, RTO compliance and daily operations.

She has extensive experience in operating a compliant RTO and managing teams of highly motivated individuals, and is fully committed to the ongoing professional development and improvement of RTO quality management methodologies, across the entire VET sector.

Bambry says her passion lies in the day-to-day operations of an RTO and exploring areas of improvement and growth, and is excited to be joining the SPASA team and developing her knowledge in this unique training space.

“We’re excited to see Rachael join IRLearning and apply her industry experience and passion into expanding and upgrading qualifications across all sectors,” says chief operating officer Spiros Dassakis.

She replaces Peter Holland who is now working outside the pool and spa industry.

Rachael Bambry, IRLearning RTO manager

Denis Riordan, SPASA’s Queensland regional manager

“I have done everything from owing my own business to sales and marketing roles where recently I was sales manager at Legend products and services, as well as many varied teaching roles,” Riordan says.

“I am very excited about my new role and the chance to give back to an industry which has given me so much over the past 40 years. I am very passionate about wanting to help nurture young up and coming people to keep them in our industry and sell the benefits of membership.”

Contact: rachael@irlearning.com; 1800 802 482

Riordan is taking over many of the local membership tasks previously performed by sales and marketing manager Luke Daly.

New Queensland regional manager

“Denis comes with a wealth of experience from a range of sectors within the industry and I’m excited for the members in Queensland to be serviced on a whole new level,” says Daly.

Denis Riordan has been appointed SPASA’s regional manager for Queensland.

Riordan started in the pool industry in 1982 with Kreepy Krauly and has since worked in both the retail and wholesale sides of the swimming pool industry.

“His technical aptitude and passion for industry set him apart as we usher in the new era for SPASA Australia.”

Contact: denis@spasa.com.au; 0420 586 084

Industry moves

Poolwerx appoints new franchise development head Poolwerx has appointed Kellie Cranch as chief of franchise development.

Cranch has been a franchisee and also held management roles in some of Australia’s largest food franchise businesses.

“Poolwerx has always been a business I have admired due to their reputation within the franchise sector and innovation within the pool services industry,” she says.

Chief operating officer Nic Brill says Cranch brings invaluable

experience to the business as she understands what it means to be a franchise owner.

“Kellie knows exactly what our current and prospective franchise partners are going through, because she’s experienced those challenges herself,” he says.

Her role will see her focus on new recruitment for franchise partners, re-sales, leases, refurbishments and project management to help build Poolwerx businesses for franchise partners.

Industry moves

Theo Haaima retires Former Abgal general manager Theo Haaima has retired from the business and the industry.

Current general manager Bruce Everett says that it is with great sadness – and maybe a tinge of jealousy – that he announces the retirement of his friend and colleague .

“After 16 years as general manager, and a further two years on a part time basis focussed on our Aqualux pool interior sales and installations, Theo will no longer be part of the Abgal staff,” he says.

“Instead, he plans to spend his time travelling around the country in his caravan, enjoying time with family – and of course his golf clubs.”

Everett says that Haaima plans to assist with the occasional installations as an independent contractor.

“I will be stepping up and looking after our customer base across the ditch and also in WA, but otherwise, Richard Spencer will be taking over where Theo has left off,” he says.

Spencer’s mobile number is 0408 764 258.

18

SPLASH!

February/March 2022

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Manufacturing

In 2022 we will be celebrating SPLASH’s 25th anniversary. To help us put together a feature on the changes in the industry, we are asking our readers to send us their old photos, magazines and stories.

Fire ravages pool factory The Freedom Pools factory at Kenwick in Western Australia suffered a serious fire on January 27.

SPLASH! understands no one was physically injured in the incident.

More than 50 firefighters fought the fire, eventually bringing the blaze under control.

The fire released potentially dangerous fumes including fibreglass and pool chemical residue into the air around Kenwick. As hazmat crews tested the air, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services urged people to avoid the area.

They also asked local people to remain inside, away from smoke and potentially toxic fumes, with doors and windows closed and air conditioners switched off.

The West Australian reported that the fire was believed to have been caused by a mechanical fault at the back of the building, with winds fuelling flames as they burnt through two warehouses. Investigations are continuing.

Freedom Pools made the following statement: “Freedom Pools has worked diligently to ensure that impacted customers have been contacted in a timely manner. While there will be a delays for some customers, Freedom has been working with customers to determine appropriate outcomes.

Freedom is fortunate to have manufacturing sites across the country that can be utilised and they are taking steps to recommence production in Perth as soon as possible.”

We welcome any information you can send about the development of the industry; it doesn’t need to be restricted to the past 25 years, but please include the relevant dates with anything you send.

SPLASH! is turning 25 this year

History

Do you have historical images of the pool and spa industry?

If you have old print photos please photograph them and email them to us in high resolution. You do this by scanning the images with a scanner set at high resolution, photographing them using your phone in indirect natural light and with a steady hand, or by using one of the many freely available scanning apps.

If the images are large or you have too many of them, you may need to send them in several emails or by Dropbox, Hightail or another similar service.

Contact: chrismaher@intermedia.com.au.

Efficiency

Waterco goes solar at its global headquarters Water treatment manufacturer and distributor Waterco Limited has bolstered its commitment to environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility by using solar energy to power its 16,000sqm global headquarters in Rydalmere, NSW. The 100kw system installed by Clean Energy Council accredited Inspire Energy comprises REC premium twin peak solar panels with Sungrow inverters monitored via a solar analytics platform.

This produces 130 megawatts of electricity per annum, equating to roughly 65 per cent of the building’s energy consumption.

“We estimate that our yearly energy bill will drop from $23,715 a year down to $3,218, which is a saving of approximately 20k each year,” says Waterco chief operations officer Bryan Goh. “While the financial benefits of installing a solar

system were undeniable, this demonstrates our continued commitment to these values.”

Waterco is an environmentally conscious company that manufacturers energy and water efficient products for the swimming pool, water treatment and aquaculture industries. It has one of the largest ranges of industry accredited Climate Care Certified equipment endorsed by SPASA Australia.

The company’s commercial-grade water treatment innovations are also utilised in arid regions such as Dubai and to drought-poof communities in rural regions such as Wangaratta in north-east Victoria.

“Consumers are not only investing in products that help reduce their water and energy consumption but also are choosing to buy from brands they believe are committed to having a positive social and environmental impact,” says Goh.

The 100kw system on Waterco’s roof in Rydalmere

February/March 2022

SPLASH! 21

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The power of the pool ABOVE: David Bowen, head of Skye Suites

BELOW: The pools are designed to evoke a resort atmosphere when swimming, and also when looking out your window. This pool is in the Green Square project

W

hether it’s the humble suburban dwelling, or a less humble multi-storey development, a swimming pool is one of the most highly sought-after features of any place we

call home.

This has become increasingly evident over the past two years, and as David Bowen, Australasian head of Skye Suites, this is something they think about carefully when planning their award-winning apartment and hotel complexes.

Skye Suites, a part of the Crown Group, are developments featuring a mix of residential, retail and hospitality. He says they consider the swimming pool and important ingredient.

“We know the ‘power of the pool’,” he says.

“Our pools are central to our developments and continue to prove to us the importance of getting it right. We don’t do cookie cutter pools, we design pools specifically with the property in mind, this includes location and intended target audience.”

He says the pool is central to the whole development and specifically designed to give a resort feel in an urban location.

During covid, more people are staying at home in their apartments and enjoying the luxury facilities, chief of which is the swimming pool.

“Space and airflow are top of the list along with the perfect environment to unwind,” he says.

“The chance to work in peace with fast internet access, air conditioning and amenities including the chance to do laps in the pool create a space where you can focus.”

Their properties have been designed by architect Koichi Takada to have the ambience of a resort within an urban location.

“The pool is central to the resort look,” he says. “We constantly receive requests to use our pool areas for photoshoots and of course Instagram is full of images of our pools.

“With plans for five new properties in the pipeline we are constantly evolving the scope of pool design. We work closely with Koichi Takada to create a space for relaxation whether that be the view from your window or a place you use for exercise or relaxation.

Skye Suites: www.skyesuites.com.au Koichi Takada Architects: www.koichitakada.com n February/March 2022

SPLASH! 23

feature

IPSPE literally brings people together Brett Lloyd Abbott from Pool Builder Marketing lets us know his take on the latest International Pool Spa Patio Expo held last November in Dallas, Texas – an event held during a hiatus between the delta variant easing off and omicron taking hold.

By Brett Lloyd Abbott ABOVE: Masks were not a feature of the Texas show, but this was month before omicron spread widely across the US MIDDLE: Despite the disruption during the past two years, the 2021 show attendance was still 91 per cent of the 2019 show BOTTOM: Education is still a key component of IPSPE

I

t was a hug-fest.

I don’t know how else to describe it.

After two long, lonely years, we all got to see each other again.

Naomi and I would step off the elevator at the Omni Hotel, and the lobby would be packed with 50 to 100 industry friends and celebrities. And hugging would immediately ensue.

The first night at the hotel, I struggled to have a conversation that lasted more than 30 seconds. Because no sooner would we hug and say hello to a beloved friend, than we would see another friend from another part of the world, and we would have to run over and hug them too.

This would repeat incessantly, for everyone.

Which just goes to show, this industry really is a family.

Weird uncles, crazy cousins and all.

(This also means that if all the threats about masks and mandates are to be believed, then this was a super-spreader event, and half of us are infected, and headed to the hospital.

But I feel great, and so does everyone else I’ve spoken to since, despite the fact that less than one per cent of the attendees were wearing masks. So maybe that one ugly part of the last 18 months is finally behind us!)

As for attendance...

I figured we would be lucky to get more than 50 per cent of the 2019 attendance. But one of the informed Informa managers (the show management people) told me that this year’s registrations were off from 2019 by only nine per cent. And I certainly couldn’t see a difference on the show floor. In fact, traffic seemed at least as good if not better than the New Orleans show.

In my experience, most three-day shows start out strong on day one, and start to taper off around lunch time of day two. Then you get one or two additional blips as traffic gets increasingly scarce, right up to closing.

Steady traffic

It was a little different in Dallas. I didn’t notice a “mad rush” at the beginning, but instead saw steady floor traffic all through the first and second days. And even on day three, we still met a good number of strong prospects.

24

SPLASH!

February/March 2022

So I, for one, was certainly glad we were there. And everybody else looked pretty happy too.

Now let me close with one last observation, that in my mind is yet further evidence of the “family-friendly nature” of our industry.

Most of us in the industry are well aware of the rather rocky road that Genesis went through these last few years, with the NSPF/APSP merger into PHTA, and how that begat the creation of the rather impressive and successful Watershape University.

Many thought that would be the death knell for Genesis.

But the excitement and enthusiasm at the sold-out Genesis Family Reunion Dinner on Wednesday would suggest otherwise.

It was nice to hear the president of PHTA gush about the power and impact of Genesis on our industry. But I was especially impressed to hear Genesis co-founder Brian van Bower applaud the success of Watershape University. Sure, they are technically competitors. But Brian was more like a proud father, honestly hoping to see his progeny do at least as well, if not better than the founding organisation.

And if that’s not family, I don’t know what is.

The next International Pool Spa Patio Expo will be held from November 12-17, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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feature

Swim jets, suction and cavitation

ABOVE: In a relatively short time cavitation will damage the volute and the impellor to a point where the pump becomes useless. Image: www. pumpsandsystems.com

By Cal Stanley

I

was recently contacted by a consultant in another state. He believed that a particular pool’s plumbing particularly the suction system - was incorrectly installed, potentially dangerous, and did not conform with the requirements of AS1926.3. As somewhat of an expert in pool hydraulics, this concerned me.

As too many suction systems in pools have a potential to trap unwary users, particularly young ones, I took this seriously and asked that he send me all the information he had.

Pool suction systems must conform with the requirements of the current edition of AS1926.3 – 2010.

This Standard requires suction outlets connected to a common pipe to be not less than 600mm apart, centre to centre. One set was only 500mm apart.

This maximum permitted flow rate is embossed on every outlet cover. The covers used in this pool all had a flow rate of 420 litres per minute (lpm). Exceeding the rated cover makes entrapment under water, particularly of young children, a real possibility.

Not having full plumbing details I was unable to determine the actual flow through these pipes and thus through each cover fitting. However, I believe it would likely have exceeded the 420lpm limit by a considerable margin even with the pumps cavitating.

The pool was fitted with three such systems each with two outlets. All were connected to 3hp pumps by 50mm pipes.

Each pump was cavitating badly and very noisy.

I understand that the swim jet flow at the outlets of each system was little stronger than that of a normal filtration return eyeball.

The pool owner wasn’t happy!

26

SPLASH!

February/March 2022

“Good hydraulics mandates that the suction pipe to any pump be of a size sufficient to permit a constant flow, and sufficient to fill all wet parts of pump and return water to pool.”

Cavitation

A 3hp pump cannot draw sufficient flow through 50mm pipes to keep the pipes and the pump full of water: the pipe resistance is too much, so the pump cavitates, and in this case would have been actually pumping about the same flow as a 1.5hp pump.

Good hydraulics mandates that the suction pipe to any pump be of a size sufficient to permit a constant flow, and sufficient to fill all wet parts of the pump and return water to pool. These pumps were never fully primed and trying to suck far more water than the pipes permitted.

A centrifugal pump works by creating a lowpressure zone in its volute – which houses the spinning impellor. This low pressure is what causes the water to flow into a pump. When the inflow is restricted, pressure drops so far that the available molecules of water begin to implode.

This implosion is called cavitation, and it not only creates considerable noise, in a relatively short time it will damage the volute and the impellor to a point where the pump becomes useless.

This may be hard to believe, but go online and you can find examples where even solid metal impellers and volutes have been damaged beyond repair by cavitation. What hope for a plastic one?

A pump that constantly cavitates is noisy and has a very short life span.

The “swim jets” in question at this particular project were actually just normal eyeballs. They weren’t really swim jets and provided no resistance to swimmers.

I understand that the pool installer is rectifying matters as I write. None of us are perfect and all capable of mistakes. I like those pool builders/ installers who owns their mistakes. Too many try to blame anyone but themselves. n For these articles Cal Stanley draws on his 30 years’ experience and success in pool construction, having run award-winning pool construction company Neptune Pools in Western Australia for three decades. He currently works as a pool consultant and delivers hydraulics courses for the swimming pool industry. Contact: neptunepools@westnet.com.au.

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feature

Tips for photographing swimming pools

Patrick Redmond is the Melbourne-based photographer who photographed the 2021 National Pool of the Year. Here he offers a few photography tips to prepare you for the upcoming awards season.

By Patrick Redmond ABOVE: One of Patrick Redmond’s many beautiful photos of the 2021 National Pool of the Year, built by Liquid Blue Pools. See Edition 138 for more shots of this pool

W

hen photographing the pool, remember you're not just “selling” the pool itself, but more importantly, you are selling a lifestyle.

The pool and surrounds must be in perfect order. Lawns need to be mowed, glass pool fences especially need to be clean, pets water bowls, dog houses, kids toys and general junk that is not important to the pool needs to be tidied away and out of sight.

Pool cleaners should be removed from the water, and this should be done with enough time for the surrounds to dry off.

Deadline looms Don’t forget to get your entries in for the SPASA 2022 Awards of Excellence.

All state deadlines are April 8, 2022. Following the judging, the winners of the categories in each state will go into the highly coveted National Awards of Excellence and vie for the most prestigious awards in the country.

Paving around the pool needs to be clean. Some people may choose to wet this down but personally I think this is a big mistake. When it’s warm, the paving starts to dry almost instantly and becomes patchy looking – which looks worse than the odd dirty paver to begin with. And once you have started to wet the pavers you are constantly having to interrupt your photography to wet the pavers again and again.

The odd dirty paver can easily be sorted in post production.

Make sure any poolside sunbeds and tables are in the right place. Adding a few well-placed props such as towels and drinks can also enhance the image.

When deciding on the best angle to photograph, it is important that the pool is shown within the 28

SPLASH!

February/March 2022

context of the surrounds. Images are far stronger when other elements such as the surrounding architecture come into play.

Another great option is to have your pool photographed by a drone. This offers some excellent vantage points of the whole project that cannot be experienced at eye level.

However, it is important to make sure the drone operator is experienced and follows all of the correct procedures that relate to flying in such environments.

As far as equipment goes, the trusty phone can take a reasonable snap that’s more than adequate for your social media, but for awards, wall prints or magazines, something with more pixels and a higher resolution is a must.

feature

Any digital camera these days will be more than up to the task – however you will definitely need a wide-angle lens to capture the pool in full, especially if you have a small space.

An industry professional photographer will have all the right equipment to the handle the situation, no matter how large or small the project is.

Time of day is very important. Ideally you would shoot the pool in full sun to avoid any hard shadows that fall across the pool and surroundings. Be careful to pick your time correctly, paying special attention to the direction the pool faces to limit shadows caused by fences and structures in close proximity.

Time of year is also important – the closer we get to winter, the lower the sun is in the sky, and the more shadows we get.

Sometimes shadows are unavoidable due the direction the pool faces. If the pool faces south, then more than likely shadows will be troublesome through most of the day. In this case, you could shoot the pool on an overcast day or very early in the morning or late in the afternoon. These options provide even light and won’t cause shadows.

Photographing your pool at dusk is also a popular and attractive option. In this case it is essential to have other garden or accent lights surrounding the pool. Relying on just the pool lights for effect does not make for great pictures. You want to see the whole project in detail to get the full effect. Again, the right time to photograph is extremely important. You want to shoot on dusk or just after when there is still some ambient light and a nice dusky blue tone in the sky.

When the conditions are just right you will be able to see the pool clearly with the available light, but also all of the garden, pool and surrounding lights. You will definitely need a tripod for this as exposure time will range to several seconds. Also remember to check that all surrounding lighting – and especially the pool lights – are in working order prior to the shoot.

Important tip: Make sure the pool light colour you want is organised well before you are ready to photograph. My preferences are always the white or pale blue colour, as they tend to reproduce the best in photographs. Most lights are the multicolour LED type and can sometimes be tricky to get the right colour choices all on at once. Dusk moves quickly and the right moment can easily be lost when doing this.

It pays to be organised ahead of time. n

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feature

More lucrative freight charges for Europe and the US have left Australia at the back of the queue for container space

Multiple factors impacting the importation of pool chemicals Managing director of Lo-Chlor Chemicals, Paul Simons, enlightens us on the factors behind the current global logistics chaos, and the resultant effects on local pool chemical supply.

T

By Paul Simons

he recent escalation of the omicron variant of the covid-19 pandemic has only served to exacerbate an ongoing problem with both global and local supply chains.

The entire system of producing and delivering a product, from the earliest stage of sourcing the raw materials to the final delivery of the product to end-users, has been totally disrupted causing delays, rising costs and, in some cases, cancellations of orders.

From shoes to spas, TVs to tele-poles, and carrots to chlorine, imported goods, particularly from China, have never been more difficult to procure, more expensive to transport or more time consuming to deliver.

Two-thirds of China’s provinces have been forced to implement electricity rationing measures as the nation faces severe coal shortages.

As many as 20 provinces are believed to be experiencing the crisis to some degree, with factories working less hours with less staff.

These closures are having a significant impact on the volumes and speeds of container exports.

Additionally, with regard to factory production, a categorisation process has been put into place stipulating items that can be manufactured and shipped in order of perceived importance. Items have been categorised under four headings which go in descending orders of priority from A to D. Therefore category A receives the highest priority and category D the lowest.

Unfortunately, pool chemical production falls under category D so we are therefore at the bottom of the tree with less importance and priority.

considerable time before we begin to see the problems caused by 2021’s sea trade explosion resolved.

In fact, we believe that it could be well into 2023 before we can hope to see any real progress in stabilising the situation. The enormous price increases will ultimately cause inflation and higher prices for consumers – if they haven’t already.

Australian importers, as well as exporters, could well be amongst the most affected by the current hits on the global container shipping trade, and the ramifications for them could be amongst the most severe.

In the US, demand for containerised goods has risen as much as 40 per cent even with the highly increased freight rates. Freight rates from China to Australia have increased enormously as well, but they are still far cheaper than the amounts being paid by importers in North America and Europe – and that has created a big problem for Australia.

In order to obtain the greatest freight rates that they can acquire, shipping companies are deploying ships which previously ran the routes from Shanghai to places like Australia, Africa, New Zealand and South America, and placing them on more favourable routes.

In the light of this, Australian ports are now firmly placed at the back of the line; and it is getting harder and harder to get imported goods here.

Many ships are now lost to the Australian market when the shipping company weighs up the differential in the freight rate that they can obtain from the US or Europe, which can be triple the amount that they can obtain from Australia. Freight rates may be cheaper between China and Malaysia, but a ship can do three trips as compared to one trip down here, so they get triple the revenue.

Trade route disadvantage

Export woes

Electricity rationing

The post-covid global shipping crisis has been something without precedent or comparison in living memory, and has seen container shipping rates quadruple, or more, since the problems began.

Each and every freight index will portray how expensive it’s become to send a 40-foot container from one side of the world to the other.

So, with prices for a 40-foot container rising up to 400 per cent and even more, and no quelling of the situation envisaged in the imminent future, the logistics team at Lo-Chlor feel that it could be some

In fact, some routes are so much more profitable than others to the shipping companies, that they are carrying more empty containers around the world than they have ever done previously. In the past, containers, initially imported into Australia, were utilised and filled with goods for Australian exports for the return leg, which has assisted the shipping company to cover their costs.

However, since the prices and demand have been found to be so much better for the shipping companies on other routes, getting the empties February/March 2022

SPLASH! 31

feature back to the relevant Chinese port as quickly as possible is the number one priority; the fact that the journey doesn’t offer them any revenue is a secondary concern.

This obviously effects Australian exporters as well, because rather than have that container full of exports going back to China, the shipping companies are saying that they won’t carry a full cargo but just get their empty containers back as soon as possible so that they can be redeploy the vessels into the Asia-USA or Asia-Europe trade routes.

Cost cutting by shipping companies, prior to covid, has also exacerbated the container situation as they were ordering less containers and the results of that are surfacing now with a higher demand for containers than the manufacturers are able to keep up with.

In addition to the economic problems, shipping ports and lanes are facing unparalleled levels of congestion and delays, which are again adding frustrations for importers, retailers and consumers alike. As an example, what would normally be a 50-day trip has now ballooned to around 90 days, so an additional 40 days has to be considered in the supply chain.

“Items have been categorised in priority from A to D…unfortunately, pool chemical production falls under category D.”

BELOW: Containers are even going back empty to speed up the process, costing exporters the opportunity to move their goods

32

SPLASH!

On top of this, covid outbreaks at major ports, industrial action between Australian wharfies and port terminal operators have added to the ever-growing list of negatives.

Also, many ports are not set up to deal with the volume of trade demand or are being affected by labour shortages.

If we have any more industrial action issues at ports in Australia it could possibly see shipping companies redirect their ships to destinations which, although less lucrative, will offer them less problems.

The immediate future

As stated earlier, we predict that there will not be an easing in the supply and demand situation until the latter half of next year.

February/March 2022

So, what is the prediction for the imminent future of imported pool chemicals in the present climate and taking into account the container chaos?

Pool chemical suppliers/importers, with the best will in the world, will be unable to provide their customers with any guaranteed stable pricing for a set period as they cannot be offered a similar guarantee by their overseas manufacturers/suppliers. Therefore, there may well be a number of price changes/increases on chemicals over the course of, say, a 12-month period, due to circumstances well beyond the control of the importer.

In addition, due to production problems, importers could well find themselves either waiting for extended periods for chemicals to arrive from overseas or, worst case scenario, not receive them at all. Both these situations will, of course, have severe ramifications on retailers who need the stock on their shelves to supply pool and spa owners.

Companies manufacturing the specialty chemicals in their range locally, as we do at Lo-Chlor, are in the fortunate position of not being impacted by the container chaos and will be able to provide their customers with stock in the same manner as they have in the past without the impediments placed on those items being imported.

From a retail perspective, it may well be prudent for stores to consider stocking up (when they can) with larger amounts of chemicals than they have in the past to attempt to ensure that, should there be a delay with future supply, they will at least have some backup stock to cater for their customers’ needs rather than empty shelves.

From a consumer perspective, they will have to realise that, as with many day-to-day imported items they are purchasing in their weekly supermarket shop, they are going to have to pay higher prices for many of the chemicals they are purchasing in professional pool or spa shops or, if they are having their pool serviced, the service charges will have risen because of the chemical components that have been added.

In a nutshell, understanding and tolerance to the present situation are required by all parties, from importer to consumer, and hopefully, as time progresses, both cost and continuity of supply will stabilise once again, and things will revert to a more normalised situation. n

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feature

New year, new opportunities Chief operating officer at Poolwerx, Nic Brill, outlines what he sees as three key trends in 2022, following two years that presented myriad challenges but also opportunities for the pool industry.

By Nic Brill

ABOVE: The new year is likely to have its challenges, but there will be plenty of opportunities as well RIGHT: Nic Brill, Poolwerx COO

C

lients expect the “new normal” of servicing options – and there’s no going back to the old approach.

Rewind two years, and the majority of us didn’t give a great deal of consideration to things such as online shopping, or contact-free service options. While there’d been a shift to increased e-commerce for retail like clothes, books and gifts, in Australia getting your groceries delivered to your home or your car boot remained something only used by the very busiest of people.

“There’s no longer any acceptable one-size-fits-all approach to managing your pool.”

And those who were too busy to spend an hour at the shops were almost certainly too busy to manage the health and maintenance of their swimming pools!

A lot has changed in that time, and there’s no longer any acceptable one-size-fits-all approach to managing your pool. To ensure our franchise partners kept their businesses operating successfully during lockdowns, as well as protecting the health and safety of our clients and backyard pools, we diversified our service offerings.

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testing kit or wait at your front door while you go and do it. Want to continue to treat your own pool, but don’t want to enter our retail stores?

Not an issue – we have a simple click and collect or home delivery option. Want to come in and chat to us in-store? Great – as long as you’re double-vaccinated and follow all local government restrictions, come on in! If not, use our drop box option to leave your water test and we’ll call you with the results. These are all services that we can quickly turn on – and based on the needs of our clients and safety of our teams, we’re able to amend, adjust, or turn off accordingly.

We may have fast-tracked and innovated some of these approaches based on our circumstances, but for our clients, this is something they have come to expect. Establishing service options which are convenient, safe and easy has helped grow our customer base.

Rethinking operations

New initiatives off the back of covid learnings shouldn’t end with client services – there is an opportunity to rethink the way our industry operates and move forward more strongly and efficiently. That may be learning to be more flexible and approaching business with a multipronged attitude; adopting a hub-and-spoke model of varying revenue streams; or finding ways to forecast trends by observing global challenges.

Alongside the introduction of our innovation team, our footprint in the US means our Australian network can leverage industry insights six months before they hit local shores. The immediate

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Capitalising on the home service boom

We’ve seen a servicing boom in 2020/2021. With Aussies learning to live with covid and the borders opening, what does Phase Two look like?

The nation has been impacted by lockdowns and the home has become the new place to work, play and study. This has led to huge home servicing demand, which was also intensified by the installation of lots of new pools.

For many of us, 2022 brings the opportunity to start living outside our four walls. Travel will be on the top of the list for many who have been separated from loved ones. However, with international travel not expected to return to normal levels until 2024, we’re likely to see smaller incremental investments to either maintain or improve client’s initial outlay during the peak of the boom.

In the pool space, it may now mean investing in a pool heater so you can swim all year round, or a robotic cleaner to make maintenance easier if you’re going back to the office.

What people need to look out for is that they don’t forget the maintenance perspective.

We know it costs a lot more to restore an unhealthy pool back to a swimmable condition than it does to service and maintain it regularly, so my big call out there would be for clients to continue to manage their investments. n

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challenge for the swimming pool industry is interstate linehaul and local couriers, as well as reduced manufacturing capacity abroad, along with shipping container and pallet shortages. Again, this summer we’re also seeing weather impacts, with La Nina affecting salt supplies, coupled with distribution issues.

Our industry isn’t alone in these supply chain challenges, but strong forecasting, utilising our supplier relationships and looking at the way local stores can order, store and deliver has been key to our successful approach and is serving us well.

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SHOW YOUR COMMITMENT TO

PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT

The Climate Care Certification Program is an initiative of the Swimming Pool & Spa Association of Australia Ltd (SPASA). It is the industry’s efficiency and sustainability certification program.

SPASA is proud to deliver an industry wide program to support, protect and promote the way the swimming pool and spa industry operates and strives for best practice sustainable solutions.

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION CONSUMER BENEFITS ü Purchase with confidence knowing that you are choosing a certified environmentally sustainable solution ü Enjoy the benefits of choosing a solution which utilises water efficiency, energy efficiency, noise reduction measures, environmentally sustainable designs or efficiency/sustainability innovations ü Reduce your overall carbon footprint whilst saving money

INDUSTRY BENEFITS ü Highlight your product/system/installation’s environmentally sustainable qualities ü Show your commitment to preserving the environment and to industry best practice ü Demonstrate your investment in the industry’s sustainable future and inspire others to do the same

THIRD-PARTY VERIFICATION All Climate Care Certified products undergo independent third-party testing and/or verification to assess and report on claims being made such as water efficiency and energy savings.

Only credible and trusted local, national and international testing and verification bodies are considered by SPASA to ensure that claims being made on energy and water efficiency and sustainability are substantiated.

SWIMMING POOL & SPA ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA TEL 1300 021 482 WWW.SPASA.COM.AU

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Pool pumps and hydraulic efficiency

By Veda Dante TOP: Saving money on electricity means more to spend on the family

RIGHT: Pentair Sta-Rite Enviromax 800

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wimming pool pumps have the reputation as one of the most powerhungry elements in a home. That is because of the amount of energy needed to run the pool’s hydraulic system, which is powered by the pump.

The initial cost a pool pump is estimated at only 20 per cent of the lifetime cost of running the pump; the other 80 per cent relates to the energy costs over time.

It is important therefore to minimise the amount of energy the pumps use by choosing the correct one for each situation, looking to new technology, and thinking carefully about the overall hydraulic system.

As Waterco’s chief operating officer explains, the pump is the heart of a swimming pool’s filtration system.

“Choosing the right pump for your pool will ensure you experience fewer problems and more efficient energy use and running costs, not to mention better pool water clarity,” says Bryan Goh. The job of your pump is to draw water through the filtration system so that the pool water is kept clean and is properly circulated.

The pump is driven by an electric motor directly attached to the pump impeller. As the electric motor turns, it causes the impeller to turn, which then forces water to flow through the pump. The water flows into the hair/lint pot inlet and through the basket assembly.

The flow then enters the centre of the pump housing, goes through the impeller, into the diffuser, and out the pump discharge port and onwards to the pool filter where it is filtered before being sanitised and/or heated and pumped back into the pool.

Pool configuration and plumbing

Some things to take into consideration when selecting the most appropriate pump in terms of performance and energy efficiency include: •P ool size – the volume of water in your pool will help determine flow rate and therefore the size of the pump required.

• Pipe diameter – that will influence the overall hydraulic system, as will the number of 90-degree elbows in the pipework, and the length of the pipework.

•P ower – prevent damaging equipment by ensuring the pump doesn’t exceed the maximum flow rate.

•S peed – dual, multi and variable speed pumps can be sped up when more power is needed but can also run at a slower speed for filtering.

•N oise – quieter models enable you to take advantage of off-peak hours when electricity is cheaper.

•E nergy Rating – more stars mean the pump offers greater efficiency and lower power bills.

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Pipe diameter The pool plumbing has a big effect on the pool’s energy consumption. If you want to see the effect, try drinking through a thin straw and then repeat with a wide straw, you’ll notice how much easier it is to draw liquid up the wide straw.

It’s the same effect with pool plumbing, so it’s best to use larger diameter pipes.

Also avoid lots of elbows and use sweeping bends where practical.

Moving water, the lifeblood of a swimming pool

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• Ancillary equipment – such as in-floor cleaning systems, pressure pool cleaners and water features.

• Convenience – look for pool controllers that enable you to manage your pump remotely.

• Budget – researching customer reviews and comparison sites like Choice or Canstar will help narrow down the options that end-users rate highly.

Recirculation pumps

There are a wide variety of residential pumps used for spas, aboveground pools and larger inground pools.

The prime purpose of most residential pumps is recirculation, drawing water from the pool and pumping it through the filter. It is this purpose that normally consumes the most pump hours, with the average residential pool pump running for around six to eight hours per day.

Residential pumps can be used in conjunction with pool ancillaries such as heating, in-floor cleaning, and water features.

High performance residential pumps are designed to provide a more powerful water flow, making them ideal for larger domestic pools equipped with multiple ancillaries.

Commercial pumps are larger for swimming pools that require a high rate of circulation due to their large volume of water and bather loads.

Ancillary pumps

Sometimes separate pumps are used for solar heating and water features, to avoid having the one pump do everything, which in some circumstances and depending on the pump, may be inefficient.

These are called ancillary pumps, used for purposes other than filtration.

These could be a dedicated pump for solar or other heating, whether integrated (drawing water from the filtration circuit) or independently plumbed, drawing water directly from the pool and returning heated water to the pool on a separate circuit.

Other examples include water features, dedicated pumps for swim jets, in-floor cleaners and pressure pool cleaners.

Energy saving pumps

Swimming pool pumps are often the biggest consumers of electricity in household that have a pool, compared with other appliances.

TOP: Pentair Intelliflo VSF

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TOP LEFT: Ancillary pumps can be installed to run waterfalls and other features, but multispeed pumps can also handle multiple tasks TOP RIGHT: Waterco Hydrostorm Eco-V-100

The reason is that it takes a lot of electrical energy to accelerate a mass of water and then force it through a filter and around pipe elbows, often over a relatively long distance.

Back in the era of low-cost electricity, pool and spa pumps were traditionally powered by low-cost induction motors running at a fixed rpm dictated by mains alternating current. In Europe, Asia and Australia, 50 hertz (cycles) provides 2850 rpm and in USA 60 hertz provides 3450 rpm.

Swimming pool pumps make up around one-fifth of a pool owner’s total electricity bill, so choosing a more energy efficient model can save householders a lot of money. A well-maintained pump can last for many years, meaning energy bill savings from a more efficient pump can exceed any upfront impact of a higher purchase price.

“If you halve the speed of a pump, you halve the flow rate, but you cut the power consumption down to one eighth.”

These pumps have multiple speed settings, which enable the pump to be more efficient in its energy usage.

Known as multiple or variable speed pumps, they can be set to different speeds according to how quickly you need to pump water through the filter, therefore saving energy and reducing running costs.

For example, Goh says that Waterco’s Hydrostorm Eco-V 150 is designed to have all the extra power you need to cope with modern day swimming pool designs.

However, because of its variable speed motor, it also offers

adjustment in operating speed in 25rpm increments. This allows fine tuning of the pump’s motor speed to perfectly match the flow requirements of the swimming pool.

“This maximises energy savings while minimising pump noise,” he says.

Unlike variable speed pumps, conventional pool pumps are limited to one set speed. A pool pump is usually sized to cater for the pool’s maximum water flow requirements, which may be either the sand filter’s backwash water flow or to provide sufficient water flow to operate a suction cleaner.

As the speed of a conventional pump cannot be changed, the same maximum water flow is applied across the pool’s various requirements.

With the pool’s filtration cycle occupying 99 per cent of the run time of a pool pump, you can operate the energy saving multispeed pump on its low-speed setting for the majority of its running time, leading to significant energy savings.

A few other benefits of variable speed pumps include: •C onsiderably quieter at lower speeds.

• The motor and pump will last longer operating at a lower speed because less heat is generated by the motor.

•A ll the equipment will last longer because the operating pressure is reduced by up to 75 per cent.

Higher speeds can also be triggered to provide adequate flow for ancillary equipment, such as operating a suction cleaner.

Go with the flow

The most energy efficient pump in Pentair’s range is the IntelliFlo2, which adjusts to changes in flow conditions to maintain its pre-programmed flow rate and ensure it runs optimally throughout the entire filtration cycle.

It manages this through Pentair’s constant flow technology (CFT).

“There are two main ways in which we achieve high efficiency,” says Pentair aquatic systems product manager Robert Sterland.

“First, the technology we use is well advanced after many years as the pioneer in variable speed pool pumps.

We use a multipole permanent magnet motor, which is 95 per cent efficient compared to a single speed induction motor, which is only around 70 per cent efficient,” he says.

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Clean water depends on an efficient hydraulic system

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Pentair co-developed its variable frequency drive (VFD) with Danfoss, the world the leader in VFD technology, to ensure maximum efficiency and reliability.

“Secondly and equally importantly, the pump affinity laws – which apply to any pump – determine how much pump power is used when the speed is reduced. If you halve the speed of a pump, you halve the flow rate, but you cut the power consumption down to one eighth.”

To generate the greatest energy savings, Sterland says it is important to ensure that the pump is big enough that it can run on a lower speed.

“For example, if you were to select a 1hp variable speed pump for a 100,000-litre pool, you might have to run the pump at maximum speed and therefore lose most of the savings potential,” he explains.

“It’s important to understand that a 2hp pump running at half speed will use one quarter of the power of a 1hp pump at full speed.

“You also need to realise that a variable speed pump running at half the speed for double the time will achieve the same turnover whilst using a quarter of the energy,” he says.

“This means you can run the pump for longer at a lower speed and save even more.”

ABOVE: Pentair Pantera pump

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Aquaguard® X – an exciting new range of pool gelcoats, manufactured in Australia, to withstand harsh outdoor conditions Aquaguard® pool gelcoats have long been the flagship product of our offering to the local and global composite pool markets with over 20 years of proven field history.

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Improved UV resistance, protecting the finish of your pool for many years

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Aquaguard® X gelcoats are an exciting new range of pool gelcoats from allnex Composites, proudly manufactured in Australia, and designed to withstand our harsh outdoor conditions. They are high performance finishes for the manufacture of composite swimming pools exhibiting high durability, outstanding UV protection, weathering and chemical resistance properties.

Benefits

High Performance Surface Coating

A striking and visually appealing cosmetic finish with exceptional durability

High Quality Gelcoat Pigments

Vibrant and long-lasting colours

Outstanding UV Protection

The Aquaguard® X technology protects the decorative finishes from harsh effects of the sun

Excellent Chemical Resistance

Products are tested extensively for chemical fade resistance to ensure a longer lifespan for the cosmetic finish

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Increased colour retention during outdoor exposure

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Superior aesthetics of laminate during service life which maintains the original cosmetic appearance for a longer period

Aquaguard® X gelcoats are available in a range of contemporary colours and striking finishes.

For more information, please contact allnex on 1800 789 607 or visit www.allnex.com

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Product Features

www.allnex.com

Performance Advantages: • Improved chemical (chlorine) & water resistance

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ABOVE: Extra flow is needed to run swim jets and other features

New energy rating requirements

Australasia’s energy ministers, which include representatives from the Commonwealth, Australian states and territories, and New Zealand, work together on priority issues of national significance and key reforms in the energy sector.

They recently announced new regulations aimed at addressing barriers and behaviours that had been preventing the pool pump market from moving naturally to more efficient technologies.

These new regulations will contribute to lowering unnecessarily high externality costs from swimming pool pumps, such as greenhouse gas emissions, peak loads on electricity distribution networks and residential noise pollution.

Taking effect on October 1, 2022, all swimming

GEMS Q&A Swimming pool pumps make up approximately 18 per cent of a pool owners’ electricity bills.

Effective, October 1, 2022, the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum (GEMS) Regulator will require swimming pool pumps that are sold or supplied to be registered.

The Energy Rating Label (ERL) and Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) help consumers to reduce their electricity bills and greenhouse gas emissions by removing inefficient pool pumps from the market and allowing consumers to compare the energy efficiency and running costs of different pumps before buying one for their pool.

Q. What does the new GEMS rating mean for pool owners?

A. The energy rating label provides a simple comparison of the energy efficiency of swimming pool pumps (including spa pumps).

When an owner buys a new pump, the star rating provides an easy guide to estimate pump running costs. The more stars, the more savings. This applies to new pumps purchased from October 1, 2022.

pool pumps sold or supplied in Australia and New Zealand will need to display an energy rating label and meet testing requirements.

This will help consumers save money by reducing the amount of electricity used by their swimming pools while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For example, purchasing an 8-star pump over a 2-star pump could save a household more than $540 per year.

Suppliers and retailers of swimming pool pumps may register their products prior to October 1, 2022. Products not registered with the GEMS Regulator after this date may no longer be sold or supplied within Australia.

The department says they will be working with the industry, pump suppliers, retailers, pool builders and other professionals to communicate the changes and requirements.

Q. What does this mean for pool pump manufacturers?

A. From October 1, 2022, pool pumps must be registered and display an energy rating label to be sold or supplied in Australia. Pumps need to meet Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), test and labelling requirements. More information about pumps and registration can be found on the Energy Rating Label website. The registration system is already open to allow industry to prepare for the October 1, 2022 start date.

Q. What is the difference between GEMS level requirements and GEMS labelling requirements?

A. Swimming pool pumps sold in Australia will need to display an energy rating label (the more stars the more savings) and meet minimum energy efficiency requirements from October 1, 2022. This helps consumers to reduce their electricity bills and greenhouse gas emissions by: • Removing inefficient pool pumps from the market; and • Allowing consumers to compare the energy efficiency and running costs of different pumps before buying one for their pool.

Even with the new minimum standards for energy efficiency there will be a wide range of pool pumps to choose from.

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Climate Care Certified variable speed pumps Climate Care Certified program ensures products meet a number of water and energy consumption tests, with the following five pool pumps meeting the strict criteria: • AstralPool Viron XT • Hayward Super II Eco VS • Pentair Enviromax • Waterco Hydrostorm Eco-V • Zodiac VS and E3 FloPro

Reading the label

• Star arch, which provides a visual representation of how energy efficient a pump is, compared to other similar sized pumps.

• Energy consumption figure in kilowatt hours per year based on standardised testing, if the pump is running the filtration system for a 50,000-litre pool.

• Australian Standard that the pump was tested against to determine the level of efficiency.

• More stars equals greater efficiency – the rating scale for pool pumps is from 1 to 10. Each star represents an improvement in efficiency, so a 7-star pump will be more energy efficient than a 6-star pump, and an 8-star pump will be more efficient than a 7-star pump. Remember the higher the number of stars, the lower your electricity cost for the pump.

• Noise levels – a quiet pump has benefits to the householder and their neighbours, especially if they run the pump at night taking advantage of off-peak electricity tariffs.

• Energy consumption figure – this shows the energy consumed to pump 50,000 litres of water per day for a year. This figure is determined under test conditions in accordance with the Australian Standard AS5102.1:2019 “The cost of running a pump is not provided on the label, because the price a household pays for electricity varies depending on the offer from the household’s electricity retailer,” explains SPASA chief operating officer, Spiros Dassakis.

“If you know the size of your pool, your electricity tariff, and how often you use your pump, you can estimate how much money it will cost you to run your pool pump.”

However, the label does give you the amount of electricity the pump uses in kilowatt hours (kWh), if the pump is running the filtration system for a 50,000-litre pool.

“Your electricity bill gives you the price of electricity per kWh,” he says. “The cost of running a less efficient pump can be higher, compared with a more efficient pump.” n

Contacts

AstralPool: www.astralpool.com.au Energy rating labels: www.energyrating.gov.au Pentair: www.pentair.com.au SPASA Australia: www.spasa.com.au Waterco: www.waterco.com.au Zodiac: www.zodiac.com.au

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“Swimming pool pumps make up around onefifth of a pool owner’s total electricity bill, so choosing a more energy efficient model can save householders a lot of money.”

TOP: Pentair Posiclear.

Cartridge filters reduce the need for backwashing, one of the functions that pushes up pump energy usage RIGHT: Sample of the pool energy rating label which will become compulsory in October

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news

Swimming

SA’s open and frank report into elite swimming culture is “hard reading”

Commercial & Aquatics In brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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ARV awards announced. . .

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ASSA launches associate membership . . .

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Swim laps to help youth mental health. . . . . . . . . . .

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A dream pool hovering above the street . . . . . . . . .

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Retaining aquatics staff during the skills shortage.

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The report contains 46 recommendations aimed at improving the treatment of women and girls in the sport

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wimming Australia (SA) has apologised unreservedly to female swimmers negatively impacted by the culture of elite swimming, following findings from a review commissioned in June 2021.

The report was sparked by Olympic medallist Maddie Groves’ accusations of the misogynistic culture of elite swimming. Further serious accusations were made on the back of those initial claims by Groves and others.

The claims led to the establishment of an independent panel to investigate the treatment of women and girls in swimming. The panel spoke to 150 participants including former and current athletes, parents, coaches, technical officials, volunteers and administrators.

The report contains 46 recommendations aimed at improving the treatment of women and girls in the sport including calls to improve the gender balance in coaching and doing away with skinfold testing.

Female involvement in the sport sits at 60 per cent of the 6 million participant base.

Difficult reading

SA says the feedback was open and frank and there were experiences recounted that were difficult to read. Much of that information has not been released, with SA citing privacy issues.

“We want to reassure those who came forward that the sport is committed to change to ensure these negative experiences are not repeated and apologises unreservedly to those impacted,” SA said in its statement.

The inquiry looked at the current structures and systems within Australian swimming that influence and impact the experience of participants, particularly girls and women in swimming, including the behaviours, conduct and practices of persons in positions of authority.

It also looked at the impact on the experience of women and girls of having few or no female coaches in the swimming environment, and the psychological impact of physiological benchmarks such as weight, skinfolds and body shape.

Also key was looking at the effectiveness of the current complaints process, including any perceived or real barriers to making complaints or the handling of any complaints.

In accordance with the terms of reference, the independent panel of Chris Ronalds, Katherine Bates and Professor Alexandra (Alex) Parker submitted their confidential written report to the chairs of Swimming Australia and the Australian Sports Commission on December 17, 2021. The panel recently presented findings to the full Swimming Australia board.

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Findings

Broadly, the review found that Swimming Australia must address the coaching gender imbalance, coaching culture, education and accreditation, governance structures, and the complaints process.

SA acknowledged that, particularly for young female athletes, some of their experiences have had longer term impacts, and they unreservedly apologised to those members of the swimming community who have had a negative experience.

They commit to addressing every one of the 46 recommendation from the independent panel report.

SA says some progress has already been made, including Women in Performance Coaching programs, the agreement to adopt the Sport Integrity Australia National Integrity Framework with a full suite of policies and procedures, including the independent complaint handling process, and the Female Performing Physique Program that takes into consideration: positive psychology, risk of disordered eating, positive language and culture, low energy availability and relative energy deficiency in sport consequences, measurement and monitoring as part of the workshop-based education program for coaches.

“The Swimming Australia Board acknowledges the ultimate collective responsibility and commitment in addressing these recommendations rests with the board and the executive team in delivering and committing to meaningful and enduring change, being transparent and regaining and earning the trust of our athletes and our entire community,” says president Kieren Perkins.

An implementation steering group has been tasked with addressing these recommendations. It is chaired by Doctor Michelle Gallen (director, Swimming Australia) and includes Sally Howe (director, Swimming Australia), Matti Clements (acting CEO, Australian Institute of Sport), Jason Hellwig (CEO, Swimming Victoria), Narelle Simpson (former Australian swimming coach and owner, NS Swim Schools), Greg Shaw (general manager, Performance Support Swimming Australia) and Ellie Cole (four time Paralympian and Australian Swimmers’ association executive) with secretariat provided by Ana Croger (general counsel, Swimming Australia).

If any member of the swimming community needs support or wants to report any matters, they can contact the free and confidential AIS Be Heard hotline (1800 565 965), email (aisbeheard@coreintegrity.com.au) or go to ais.gov.au/AISBe-Heard.

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Inclusion

Athlete ambassadors encourage sport to Thrive with Pride Fourteen athletes from 10 different sports are joining together as ambassadors for the inaugural AIS Thrive with Pride program, which aims to provide safe and inclusive sporting environments for all athletes to thrive.

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Two-time Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham says finding his “authentic self” was the catalyst Matthew Mitcham, one to coming out of retirement and of the ambassadors winning Olympic gold. Former Australia Rugby Sevens captain and Olympic gold medallist Sharni Williams says she was once a “human in the dark”, until sport allowed her to find her true self. Three-time Olympic water polo player Rowie Webster says she never been more motivated “to start the conversations I was too intimidated to start all those years ago”.

These are some of the experiences the ambassadors will be sharing with sporting communities as part of the Thrive with Pride program, which is being launched this year to enhance respectful, educated and inclusive communication in sporting environments. The AIS has also engaged the expertise of LGBTIQ+ and inclusion bodies Pride in Sport and Proud 2 Play.

AIS Acting CEO Matti Clements says the athlete ambassadors were motivated to engage, educate and empower athletes at all levels to provide inclusive sporting environments.

“I want to thank these athlete ambassadors for putting their hands up to be the leaders for this program, because this has the potential to change lives and sporting environments for the better,” Clements says.

“They will be delivering presentations in sporting environments, endeavouring to build trust, foster change, promote inclusion and ensure every athlete across every sport has the opportunity to thrive as themselves.”

Being authentic Matthew Mitcham says not feeling confident enough to be his authentic self as a teenager prevented him from really bringing his full self to training.

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“Finding myself in a squad where I felt comfortable enough to be myself had the most profound effect on my self-esteem and allowed me to be fully present like never before,” he says.

“This was a catalyst that took me from retired to Olympic champion in 15 months before the Beijing Olympic Games, which is why I am so passionate about creating open, inclusive environments to nurture optimum performance.”

Non-binary shot-putter Maria Strong made their Paralympic debut on Tokyo last year, taking bronze. Strong has bigger ambitions for sport.

“I grew up queer, autistic and physically disabled, with unusual interests and a difficult-to-pronounce foreign surname,” Strong says. “For as long as I can remember, I have been driven to make the world a better, more inclusive place.”

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Associations

ASSA launches associate membership The Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA) has offered foundation membership opportunities for swim teachers, pool staff and educators to join a network of like-minded professionals through their newly launched Associate Member program.

The program has been designed as a professional resource for those employed in the aquatic and education sectors who are not business owners to upskill in customer engagement, health and wellbeing, sensory development and marketing, and will offer local and international research presentations that are available to view through the member portal.

The program is for people in the aquatic and education sectors who are not business owners

General manager Emily McNeill says associate members will also have the ability to build their industry network through education and professional development opportunities, including webinars and workshops, which is crucial in a time where finding and keeping staff is difficult.

Contact: www.australianswimschools.org.au

Associations

ARV awards announced Congratulations to the Aquatics & Recreation Victoria 2021 Winners.

Customer Service Award: Rhiannon Galea – Aquapulse – Western Leisure Services

Tilley – Knox Leisureworks – Belgravia Leisure Course Presenter Award: Claudia Stewart – Glen Eira Sports and Aquatic Centre

Personal Trainer Award: Pru Drago – Peninsula Leisure

Swim School Award: Sunshine Leisure Centre

Health Club of the Year Award: Peninsula Leisure

Membership Sales Award: Olivia Carter – Active Monash

Watch Around Water Award: AquaPulse – Western Leisure Services

Community Impact Award: Keenager’s Table Tennis – Yarra Centre

Duty Manager Award: Alexie Barlow – Aquapulse, Western Leisure Services

Emerging Leader Award: Emma Lowe, Belgravia Leisure

Facility Management of the Year – Seasonal: Colignan Swimming Pool – Aligned Leisure

Most Valuable Employee Award: Lisa Ridgewell – Echuca War Memorial Aquatic Centre

Outstanding Contribution to the Industry: Martin Sheppard – Smart Connections Consultancy

Facility Management of the Year – Small: Lakes Entrance Aquadome

Pool Lifeguard Award: Marcus Colla – Aquapulse, Western Leisure Services

Innovative Program Award: Virtual Y – the Y

Facility Management of the Year – Medium: Mildura Waves Aquatic and Leisure Centre – Aligned Leisure

Swim Teacher Award: Di Henriksen – Camberwell Grammar School

Marketing and Communications Award: Brimbank Leisure Centres Digital Transformation – Brimbank Leisure

Swim Teacher for Infants, Babies and Preschool Award: Robyn Gosbell – Yarra Leisure

Sustainability Award: Brimbank Leisure Centres

Swim Teacher for People with a Disability: Louise

Group Exercise Instructor Award: Yaleika Ariza – Active Monash

Facility Management of the Year – Large: Highly Commended - Monash Sport – Monash University Winner - Glen Eira Sports and Aquatic Centre

In Brief ASCTA announced a $3.4 million partnership with Jobs Victoria to support the post-pandemic closure revitalisation of the learn to swim industry by recruiting, training and placing up to 350 teachers into swim schools across the state. A recent survey by ASCTA revealed 28 per cent of Victorians would consider becoming a swim teacher and ASCTA CEO Brendon Ward said there are 280 positions available statewide. New recruits will receive tailored support including job-readiness training, dedicated individual mentoring and work equipment funding, while completing the nationally accredited Swim Australia Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety course, first-aid, and CPR training. Contact: www.ascta.com A significant demand for swim school placements is seeing new swim school franchises fill all available classes before they’ve even opened their doors, according to the Jump! Swim Schools franchise network. At Marsden Park, which opened in January, 431 memberships had signed up before the doors opened. Meanwhile, at Armstrong Creek, which is due to open in March, there are already more than 800 parents who have registered their interest.

Emma McKeon capped a remarkable year by being named the Olympic Program Swimmer of the Year following her record seven medal haul.

Butterfly specialist and triple gold medallist from the Tokyo Paralympics, Will Martin, was crowned Paralympic program swimmer of the year. Both McKeon and Martin’s coaches were also celebrated as Michael Bohl and David Proud took home the Olympic and Paralympic Program Coach of the Year awards respectively.

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news

Fundraising

Swim laps to help youth mental health Olympic gold medallist Ian Thorpe AM is calling on people across Australia to take part in Laps for Life this March in support of youth mental health service ReachOut. Five-time Olympic champion Thorpe is challenging people of all ages to jump in the pool from March 1 to March 31 and swim laps to raise critical funds and awareness about youth mental health and suicide.

“This March is the time to rally together as a nation to participate in ReachOut’s Laps for Life in support of youth mental health and suicide prevention,” he says.

“As the pandemic continues, young people are being disproportionately impacted and can feel stressed about key issues such as the impacts of covid, and concerns about the future. All funds raised in the month-long swimming challenge will provide vital support for the one in four young people in Australia currently experiencing mental health issues.”

Thorpe says it is also the perfect opportunity people who want to improve their swimming skills or haven’t hit the water in a while.

“Not only can swimming benefit your health and wellbeing, but you will be helping young people in Australia be happy and well.”

Another gold medallist taking part in this year’s event is Paralympian Lakeisha “Lucky” Patterson. She most recently won the S9 400m freestyle swim at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games and will be participating in Laps for Life for the second time.

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A dream pool hovering above the street

T BELOW: This pool has become a landmark in Hawthorn Image Credit: Craig Moodie

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he 2021 National Commercial Project of the Year, announced at the SPASA Australia Awards of Excellence in September, is a unique pool.

It is one of only a handful a pools in the world that is suspended in the air, anchored between two highrises. The visual impact of standing six storeys below and looking up through the windows into the pool is a breathtaking experience that adds immensely to the Hawthorn streetscape.

Nathan Kinder, sales engineer for Aloha Pools, says they were very excited to have the opportunity to work on a project such as this.

“We really wanted to be involved – pools like this don’t come along too often. But we were

presented with something that was going to be a challenge to engineer and construct. The marketing created an expectation – and it looked impressive,” says Kinder.

“However, the engineering designs currently on the table during the tender state weren’t going to achieve the type of structure the marketing had been promoting. It wouldn’t have met expectations. It would have been chunky, and we thought we could do better.”

They decided to forego using the concrete that was in the original plans. After all, if steel was being used to hold up concrete, it could just as easily be used to hold up water. It required a new way of thinking and an investigation into alternative methods.

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Only a handful a pools are suspended in the air, anchored between two skyscrapers Image Credit: Craig Moodie

The visual impact from six storeys below is unique in Australia Image Credit: Craig Moodie

Project details Commercial Project of the Year: Aloha Pools Builder/Designer/Lead Consultant: Hickory Group, Dauha Group, Rothelowman Architects, Commercial Pool Consulting.

Project notes The construction is a hybrid steel superstructure utilising a highly customised Myrtha Pool system with a series of large acrylic viewing panels in the walls and floor of the pool. This adds another layer of innovation and makes it quite a unique experience to use the pool.

There are many complexities involved in the design and construction of a fully suspended pool.

The pool consultant worked tightly with the building project team to overcome factors such as: Acoustic isolation, which was required to eliminate noise for the residents in the apartments below.

Lateral restraints, which were engineered to deal with any possible earthquake load.

The expected deflection of the supporting beams under the load of the water.

The weight of the structure, which was counteracted by using a series of composite carbon fibre reinforced members.

Wind engineering and loads were studied so that the pool structure could withstand very high wind loads. The high wind system when activated lowers the water into lower holding tanks. Once the wind has abated the pools auto-refill from these tanks. The automatic pool cover, which had retracted due to the winds, is then free to use.

A fail-proof system was required for the sealing and monitoring of the pool window panels.

The integrity of the water-proofing liner had to be uncompromised.

The pool uses two full liner systems with a monitored drain between both liners.

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ABOVE LEFT: The pool features two complete liner systems Image Credit: Craig Moodie

ABOVE RIGHT: The challenge was to keep the pool looking light Image Credit: Craig Moodie

FAR RIGHT: Fitting the panels in place

Aloha has its own commercial pool company: Commercial Pool Consulting (CPC). They worked with Myrtha and partially project managed the build for Aloha.

“We designed a hybrid Myrtha system and Myrtha fabricated what we needed in Italy,” he says.

“We worked out we needed a steel superstructure holding their steel panels and some other lightweight proprietary Aloha panels. We needed a flexible liner, which Myrtha had, and they also knew how to integrate the panels.”

The final piece in the puzzle was the acrylic floor, so swimmers can watch the city go by and pedestrians can see up through the water.

The result was an engineering feat that is a lightweight structure that seems to hover in the air.

One of the things that Kinder is most pleased with is the way the final product closely resembles the original marketing images, even though it required considerable work on redesigning the engineering.

“If you look at the original marketing shots and the finished pool, it is 100 per cent,” he says. “This is a space where I see a lot of marketing that doesn’t match the finished product, the old hamburger picture versus the hamburger in the box, but we built something that is bang on.

“That’s one of the big things about this pool. It looks like someone dreamed it.”

Commitment to the project

Kinder says the build took an enormous amount of work, and they employed a fulltime crew on the project for six months. This period included considerable covid lockdowns.

“We were all invested in it – it wasn’t a job done just for the money. Everyone wanted to see a great 56

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final result – not only for the guys building it but all the technical people as well – everyone had something they could sink their teeth into.”

Building on a large construction site always has scheduling issues.

“You just amplify it when you have to work around tower cranes, daily schedules and deliveries,” says Kinder.

“For a lot of that stuff, we’re highly reliant on the head contractor. But every part of that job is important. With covid, everything just took a hell of a lot longer, and we had materials stuck getting through customs. Everyone knows that story, and from that point of view it was a daily grind.

“But in a sense it was slightly easier that it was a hero pool, and the site guys were aware of how important it was to get it right. Everyone understood how important the project was, and all eyes were on us.”

While Hickory Group built the structure that supports the pool, all the pool construction including the plant room, liners and acrylic was done by Aloha.

Kinder praised supplier Pentair, builder Hickory and architect Rotheloweman, saying the project was very much about collaboration.

“These big projects aren’t really about individual companies but about us all coming together,” he says.

The pool also has an automated pool blanket

by Sunbather.

“We are a vertically aligned company – we can control every part of the supply chain to a degree, and we service as well. We do all the design, and we can do the engineering too.”

While it was a complex, expensive and timeconsuming project, Aloha managed to bring it in on time and on budget, resulting in an iconic Australian pool. n

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The panels The acrylic panels and stainless-steel systems had to be pre-ordered from Italy before the supporting structure was even in place, so schematics had to be exact.

Once the design challenges had been met, Aloha then was able to deliver on the physical construction of the amazing spanning structure. If this wasn’t already enough of a challenge, the global pandemic created strict restrictions that included limited numbers on-site and serious interruptions to the supply chain, especially with imported parts.

4

Time was tight. The windows for the pool arrived from Italy only 24 hours before the site crane was taken down.

Deadline looms Don’t forget to get your entries in for the SPASA 2022 Awards of Excellence. All state deadlines are April 8, 2022. Following the judging, the winners of the categories in each state will go into the highly coveted National Awards of Excellence and vie for the most prestigious awards in the country.

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Retaining aquatics staff during the skills shortage

By Veda Dante

N

The industry is working to get back on its feet through the introduction of new staff to the industry post pandemic 58

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ational demand for pool lifeguards and swimming instructors is on the rise, with aquatic centres saying covid-related shutdowns are risking the long-term safety of our children and the training of future Olympians.

Australian lifeguards are highly respected for their level of skill and knowledge in accident prevention and rescue response. However, an acute shortage of the iconic red and yellow uniforms – not to mention swimming teachers – is slowing down the aquatic industry’s efforts to rebuild following the worst of the covid-19 pandemic.

An escalating lifeguard shortage has forced many councils to consider reducing operational hours or closing pools altogether. For Belgravia Leisure, which manages Victoria’s Indigo Shire Council’s five swimming pools (among many others across the country), it has been forced to introduce a rostering system for each of the local pools.

While the move will see some pools close on a rostered basis to meet demand at others, the company says it

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New research revealed 54 per cent of children are not learning to swim

is the only way to ensure pools stay open for the community.

“Unfortunately, the lifeguard shortage is not unique to Indigo Shire. Shires across the state such as Alpine, Cardinia, Greater City of Bendigo, even the City of Melbourne, are experiencing the same challenges,” says Roh Taylor, Belgravia Leisure regional operations manager for the Indigo/Alpine Shire.

The current lifeguard shortage across the country has been compounded by staff needing to isolate because of the high numbers of covid-19 cases in the community.

“It’s been the perfect storm to create a chronic shortage of staff. Businesses in all sectors across the country are experiencing staff shortages due to isolation requirements and unfortunately this has added to an already very challenging situation at our pools,” says Taylor.

Life skills and future champions

Swim industry experts have raised concerns about the alarming increase in drownings as new research revealed 54 per cent of children are not learning to swim, with 27 per cent forced out of lessons due to covid restrictions and 28 per cent unable to find class availability at their local swim school.

The SwimSafer Report commissioned

by Swim Australia, as part of the annual SwimSafer Week, discovered only 37 per cent of parents planned to enrol their child in official lessons within the next six months, with 29 per cent opting to teach their child themselves.

Swim Australia CEO, Brendon Ward says the circumstances of the past two years is predicted to have a long-term effect on the swimming skills of Australian children.

“There is a massive issue nationwide with the number of swim teachers. The ongoing pandemic has impacted the swimming industry immensely with lessons halted for long periods

and swimming teachers leaving the industry due to shutdowns, resulting in swim schools unable to meet demand,” he says.

“Our study also shows 16 per cent of children have not attended swimming lessons for over a year and another 25 per cent have been out of the pool between six and 12 months. This is a very dangerous scenario as it means children’s abilities in the water will have regressed. There will be children who may never learn how to swim properly.”

Ward confirmed there was a 20 per cent increase in total drownings after the first lockdown.

“The situation is very serious,” says Ward.

“Parents confirm our fears with 51 per cent not confident their child could help themselves in a water emergency.”

Swimming may be regarded as our most popular sport, but it may also be in jeopardy

with 44 per cent of Australians acknowledging interruptions to swimming lessons over the past two years will impact future professional and Olympic success.

“The consequences of children not learning to swim are far-reaching, not only for their safety but also for the longevity of the sport and how many future swim champions we will produce,” he says.

“There is a lot at stake if we don’t get children back learning to swim as soon as possible.”

Incentives to retain staff

The Australian Swim Schools Association general manager Emily McNeill says the aquatics industry has faced ongoing difficulties retaining staff since the start of the pandemic.

“Through lockdowns, extended closures, spikes in covid-19 cases and without guaranteed work available, we’ve seen a further

There are hundreds of vacancies around the country

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ABOVE: The circumstances of the past two years is predicted to have a long-term effect on the swimming skills of Australian children

shortage of qualified instructors over the past two years,” she explains.

Given the nature of the work which includes unconventional work hours that are impacted by the season, McNeill believes many teachers have left the industry to pursue permanent work in other sectors, which are also facing staff shortages.

“Previously, the workforce largely consisted of university students who would take on the work throughout their studies and stay in the industry for only a few years before moving on,” she says.

“Now we are seeing even less of this, as they are opting for other avenues instead.”

To retain valued staff and ensure essential swimming programs are back underway as soon as possible, the industry has developed and implemented comprehensive and up-to-date training programs and businesses have provided clear progression pathways for existing and new staff.

“The industry is working to get back on its feet through the introduction of casual staff and new staff to the industry post pandemic,” says McNeill.

“In addition to this, there are increased incentives and professional development opportunities for staff, including progressive education through orientations and daily briefings.”

Furthermore, swim schools are now providing extra work in other aspects of the business such as customer service, administration, lifeguard and swim school coordinator to keep teachers engaged and therefore help the industry retain them.

“ASSA is working on some further solutions to the current barriers to entry which will be released in the coming months,” she adds.

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Rebuilding post-pandemic

Addressing the acute shortage of qualified lifeguards and swimming teachers across Australia is essential to rebuilding the aquatics industry after the covid-19 pandemic.

As parents and carers seek to get their children back in the pool for classes, a shortage in key staff is limiting the industry’s ability to meet demand.

The CEO of Royal Life Saving Society Australia, Justin Scarr, says that many pools are struggling to find qualified staff to deliver water safety and swimming skills, as well as lifeguard services, but there is some good news.

“For people who are currently unemployed, or looking at a change in career, there are jobs available right now across Australia,” he says.

“The aquatic industry is great for people who need some flexibility – parents returning to the workforce, or people looking for hours that fit around their caring responsibilities.”

A review of job advertisements on Seek for one week alone found 198 job ads for paid pool lifeguards and 153 ads for swim teachers. With many of these ads seeking multiple people, there are more than 500 positions available with an immediate start.

In the Royal Life Saving’s National Aquatic Industry Workforce Report, lifeguards and swim teachers reported that the most rewarding and enjoyable elements of the role were working as part of a team and helping people.

Scarr says the characterisation of swimming teaching

being a job you do while studying, before moving onto something else, is no longer accurate.

“There are great career paths available, right through to management roles. There are good-paying, entrylevel roles such as swimming and water safety teacher, pool lifeguard, duty manager and community programs officers. And there are technical roles, including aquatic technical operator, which involves managing an aquatic

BELOW: Only 37 per cent of parents planned to enrol their child in official lessons within the next six months

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facility’s pools, plant equipment and water quality.

“People often progress through the industry into management roles,” he adds, “developing highly sought-after professional skills along the way.”

Training for an entry-level qualification can be completed in as little as three days. Some States and Territories heavily subsidise courses to make it easier for people to retrain.

If you are interested in the aquatic, sport and recreation industry more broadly, you might like to consider undertaking a course that will give you a qualification in aquatics and community recreation or sport and recreation.

Courses range from Certificate I, II, III or IV through to Diploma. A popular course for those who have a clear interest in starting a career in the aquatics industry is the Certificate III in Aquatics and Community Recreation (SIS31015) available at www.training.gov.au. n

Helping keep the pool open

Contacts

ASCTA: www.ascta.com ASSA: www.australianswimschools.org.au RLS: www.royallifesaving.com.au Swimsafer: www.swimsafer.org.au

Graham Leach has taken on a new career

Semi-retired former IT project manager Graham Leach from northeast Victoria loves to swim, so was understandably disappointed when he arrived at his local pool on a hot summer’s day only to find it closed.

“When I turned to Yackandandah Pool’s Facebook page for information, I discovered that staffing issues were causing the pool to temporarily close during the peak swimming season,” he says.

Wanting to “do something for the community”, Leach signed up to be a lifeguard. With training expenses paid for by Belgravia Leisure, which manages Yackandandah Pool, Leach passed all the training and first aid requirements to receive his Lifeguard Certificate.

Since then, he has completed more than 20 shifts — ensuring the popular facility remains open to the local community.

“I only live five minutes away so can easily fill in if someone gets sick or can’t make it,” he says.

“It’s a great feeling.”

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Impacts of the pandemic Royal Life Saving estimates the impacts of covid-19 on the aquatic industry include: • The closure of more than 1077 aquatic facilities, the majority of which are owned by local councils, and more than 1176 swim schools, including many small businesses, across Australia.

•T he loss of employment or significant reduction in work hours for many of the 67,000 frontline workers, of which almost half are casual employees, threequarters are female and 40 per cent are between the ages of 18 and 24 years.

• Particular distress and disadvantage for those aquatic industry workers that were unable to access JobKeeper.

•T he loss of approximately $900 million in lost revenue and $430 million in lost wages as a result of a six-month closure.

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Boost in search for swim teachers Victoria’s massive demand for learn-to-swim teachers has received a much needed boost thanks to a partnership between Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association (ASCTA) and Jobs Victoria. This will enable jobseekers recruited into the program to access an income while completing the accredited training required to become a swim teacher.

The Jobs Victoria Swimming Teacher initiative is a $3.4 million partnership set to overcome the shortage of swimming teachers in the state.

A recent survey by ASCTA revealed 28 per cent of Victorians would consider becoming a swim teacher and CEO Brendon Ward says there are 280 positions available statewide.

“Covid hit the industry hard, and we lost a lot of great staff, and the industry is still being impacted with swim schools unable to meet the demand for lessons,” he says.

“One of the major benefits of this partnerships is it provides an extra incentive for those interested in this special career as they can complete the training while also earning an income.

“Employers also receive subsidies and incentives to support them to take on new teachers. It is a win-win for all parties involved.”

New recruits will receive tailored support including job-readiness training, dedicated individual mentoring and work equipment funding, while completing the nationally accredited Swim Australia Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety course, first-aid, and CPR training.

Ward says the organisation’s research revealed 25 per cent of children in Victoria were unable to attend swimming lessons due to a lack of availability of swim classes.

“We encourage parents to get into the water and improve a child’s confidence and fun in the water as much as possible but swim teaching is a very specialised job that follows a set process to develop proficient swimming skills.”

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New estimation software

Houzz has launched Houzz Pro Takeoffs, which enables contractors to estimate materials from construction plans up to 10 times faster than normal, helping them save time and win more jobs. Take-offs created in Houzz Pro can be directly converted into estimates, as part of the Houzz Pro project management workflow. The new tool is the product of Houzz’s recent acquisition of ConX, a SaaS take-off and estimation tool, which is now fully integrated into Houzz Pro, and available to Houzz Pro Essential and Ultimate subscribers.

Contact: www.houzz.com

Bugson cordless robotic pool cleaner

Ascon says their new robot is unique to the market as it has no cable and no floating battery pack. The rechargeable battery offers up to 90 minutes of non-stop cleaning with no risk of cable twisting.

The Bugson cordless robotic pool cleaner has wall-climbing function, a four-wheel drive system, intelligent route plan technology, smart gyroscopic navigation, three motors for flexible steering, a largevolume filter basket and a single-front high-speed scrubbing roller.

It is suitable for wall, floor and waterline cleaning, and comes with a two-year warranty.

Contact: www.ascon.com.au

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Protect Pool, Protect Your Your Pool, Protect Kids Protect Your Your Kids View our online video showing common pool fencing faults and how to spot them at View our online video showing common pool fencing faults and how to spot them at www.kidshealth.chw.edu.au/projects/drowning-prevention/swimming-pool-fencing www.kidshealth.chw.edu.au/projects/drowning-prevention/swimming-pool-fencing

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Reusable swim nappies

Splash more and worry less with Huggies new Little Swimmers reusable swim nappies.

They allow little swimmers to move freely in and out of the water all summer long. Featuring a comfortable and secure fit that traps in any solid accidents and easy-open sides for a hassle-free change, this new range is perfect for the pool, the beach and all types of waterplay.

Simply swim, wash and reuse.

Available in three different sizes and six colourful unisex summer designs.

Contact: www.huggies.com.au

Wing-back outdoor chair

The stylish Mbrace wing-back lounge chair from Dedon is designed by Sebastian Herkner. It features a triaxial openweave seat, solid teak base, high backrest for ultimate comfort and a choice of comfortable seat cushions.

The frame is electrostatically powder-coated aluminium in a similar colour to the chair’s synthetic fibre. The base is available in premium teak.

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February/March 2022

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