Swimming Pools / Leisure / Aquatics / Spas / Health
Issue 108 October/November 2016
Metal meets water In the Aluminium House SPLASH! on the Gold Show Review of the biggest show ever Choosing a pool pump Experts offer top tips Uncovering the mystery Of the green Rio pools www.splashmagazine.com.au
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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 Managing Director: Simon Grover Managing Director Interpoint Events: Simon Cooper Editor: Chris Maher Phone: 0412 048 639 Email: chrismaher@intermedia.com.au
editorial A sunny perspective
Contributors: Veda Dante, Cal Stanley Advertising Manager: Karen Jaques Phone: (02) 8586 6135 Email: kjaques@intermedia.com.au
It’s the time we wait for all year. Swimsuits are being pulled out of the bottom draw, sunscreen is being splashed on, and everyone is heading out of doors. Gone are the days of huddling around heaters binge-watching TV shows. Suddenly everyone wants to catch up: a barbie here, a pool party there. It’s as if, like our gardens, we actually come to life in the sunshine.
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In the pool and spa industry, that’s the time businesses come alive as well – so we look to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) to predict a hot summer. In that regard, the excitement is a little cool, to go along with the predictions of a negative Indian Ocean Dipole bringing tropical rain to the west. On the eastern side of the continent, La Nina (the wetter sister of dry old el Nino) hasn’t taken the stage yet, but she’s waiting in the wings, wondering whether to give it a go. The BOM forecasts the October to December quarter will have above average rain, especially in the east, and temperatures are likely to be slightly lower.
Chris Maher Editor chrismaher@ intermedia.com.au
But if the weather looks a touch below average, other indicators are looking good. DAs are up, manufacturers are building new plants, and the attitude at SPLASH! on the Gold Coast was highly positive, boding well for a healthy season ahead. The show was certainly fun and I enjoyed meeting so many interesting people while putting together the extensive report (page 42) but unfortunately, I couldn’t talk to everyone. The show is just getting too big! But I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to seeing you in 2018.
This issue of SPLASH! magazine published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (Intermedia) may contain magazine or subscription; offers, competitions, forms and surveys (Reader Offers) which require you to provide information about yourself, if you choose to enter or take part in them. If you provide information about yourself to Intermedia, Intermedia will use this information to provide you with the products of services you have requested and may supply your information to contractors that help Intermedia to do this. Intermedia will also use your information to inform you of other Intermedia publications, products, services and events. Intermedia may give your information to organisations that are providing special prizes or offers that are clearly associated with the Reader Offer. Unless you tell us not to, we may give your information to other organisations that may use it to inform you about other products, services or events or to give it to other organisations that may use it for this purpose. If you would like to gain access to the information Intermedia holds about you, please contact Intermedia’s Privacy Officer at The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd, PO Box 55, Glebe, NSW 2037. Copyright © 2016 - The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd.
SPLASH! contains NO advertorial. Proudly supported by
This issue’s cover
Swimming Pools / Leisure / Aquatics / Spas / Health
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.
Issue 108 October/November 2016
Members of
Cover shows the stylish metal, stone and water project by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos, dubbed the Aluminium House. Photography: Diego Opazo. There is more on this project on page 58.
Fun and games in Giant lagoons SPLASH! on the Gold Show Review of the biggest show ever
Audited Circulation Average Total Distribution: 5,487 AMAA/CAB Yearly Audit Period ending March 2016.
Choosing a pool pump Experts offer top tips Uncovering the mystery Of the green Rio pools www.splashmagazine.com.au
October/November 2016 SPLASH!
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Contents 58
Gaining the benefit of variable speed Cal Stanley looks at what you need to take into consideration to ensure your client is getting the most from their variable speed pump.
Metallic home and reflective water The amazing Aluminium House designed by renowned Spanish architect Fran Silvestre, placed in context by an expansive tiled pool.
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Aqua Technics markets backyard swimming The Perth-based fibreglass company is investing in a video campaign focussing on champions who started their swimming journeys in backyard pools.
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Blue lagoon creates adventure island The Indonesian island of Bintan, just off Singapore, has been enlivened by a giant Crystal Lagoons aquatic playspace and surrounding resorts.
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The pumping heart of a pool Veda Dante asks industry experts for their advice on choosing the correct pump for their client’s pool.
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Trade show comes of age SPLASH! 2016 on the Gold Coast was a vibrant, professional show that was roundly praised for being bigger and better, with a more European or American feel.
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SPASA Australia Awards The winners of the unified national awards, chosen from the state SPASA winners and presented at SPLASH! on the Gold Coast.
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New Zealand Awards The winners of the guild awards, showcasing New Zealand’s finest pools from around the country.
Enjoying the outdoor room Horticulturalist Lyndall Keating explains how to make the most of the transitional space between home, garden and pool.
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Lessons from the green embarrassment What caused the stinging eyes, green water and obnoxious odour that so embarrassed the world bodies at the Rio Olympics?
regulars News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Global news. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Pool DAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Commercial news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Tenders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Expo news. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
New products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Industry moves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
October/November 2016 SPLASH! 9
news
Safety
Under-five pool drownings decrease by 31 per cent The National Drowning Report 2016 prepared by Royal Life Saving Australia has shown that while total pool drownings increased, the all-important under-fives category has shown a considerable decrease. Over the period from 1 July 2015 and 30 June 2016 there was a decrease of 31 per cent of pool drownings for under-fives, compared to the 10-year average. The 11 drownings were 36 per cent less than the 14 that occurred over the same period last year. While each death is a tragedy, the fact that less under-fives are drowning in swimming pools is a hopeful development. The drowning rate for under-fives is also of most importance for the industry as swimming pools account for more than half the deaths in that group, and it is the basis for the swimming pool fencing regulations across various jurisdictions. Therefore, a decrease in pool drownings in the under-fives indicates the industry and regulatory safety measures are finding some success. Cal Stanley, who has sat on The more children learning the life skill of swimming, the greater chance drowning statistics will decline
a number of Standards committees relating to pool safety, says the improvement is even greater when weighed against the increase in pool numbers. “I recently completed a chart depicting the drowning of 0-4s in swimming pools over the past 25 years, a moving five-year average and the increase in numbers of pools over the same period. This chart shows a continual 57 per cent decrease in drownings over the period against a 54 per cent increase in the estimated number of swimming pools in the country.” He points out that other statistics from the 2016 Drowning Report – and other similar studies – indicate very low levels of drownings when the pool barrier is compliant, with the vast majority occurring in pools with defective barriers or – particularly in New South Wales – those with no barrier at all. “Many gain access through propped open gates or are let into the pool area by their parents and/ or older siblings. This highlights the fact that the industry and the
Standard is doing its job very well under the circumstances.” While the under-five pool drowing numbers have shown improvement, it still must be noted that total drownings in pools across all age groups were up by 10 per cent on the 10 year average, and by 22 per cent compared to the previous period.
NSW drowning deaths in children under five
Private swimming pool drowning deaths in children under five in NSW were specifically reviewed in the report. Between 1 July 2002 and 30 June 2015, 83 such drowning deaths were recorded. The key findings related to appropriate supervision, pool fencing and emergency care, and are detailed below.
Supervision
• Supervision was completely absent in 59 per cent of cases, with older siblings or other children left to supervise younger children in 6 per cent of cases • Among cases where it was known how long a child was left unsupervised for, 33 per cent of children were left unattended for 5 to 10 minutes and 30 per cent were left unattended for 3 to 5 minutes
Barriers
• Among cases with information on fencing available, fencing was present in 27 per cent of cases, absent in 27 per cent of cases and faulty in 35 per cent of cases • Among cases with available information, children most commonly gained access to the pool through a faulty fence or gate (38 per cent), lack of a fence (31 per cent) or a gate which was propped open (18 per cent) Image: Jump! Swim School
Resuscitation
10 SPLASH!
• Among cases where it was known who initiated CPR, parents were the most common first responders (63 per cent) These findings serve as an important October/November 2016
reminder of the Keep Watch program, which promotes four key actions. Supervise – Be prepared and within arms’ reach of your child. Remember, all of your attention, all of the time Restrict access – Restrict a child’s access to water by installing and maintaining a barrier, such as a pool fence with a gate which self-closes and self-latches Water awareness – Enrol your child in water awareness classes to familiarise them with water and introduce water safety rules Resuscitation – Family members are often the first on the scene in an emergency. Learn CPR and update your skills regularly
People not statistics
Justin Scarr, CEO of Royal Life Saving Australia asks people to consider that the report is filled with the stories of real people impacted in a most tragic way by drowning. It includes people who lost their lives to drowning, the families they left behind, the rescuers who made valiant efforts to save their lives, and the communities that are reminded as they pass the causeway, swimming pool, rock platform, beach or river swimming holes. He says Royal Life shares their anguish. He also points out there are two types of drowning: fatal and non-fatal. Those who survive a drowning incident, often do so while suffering from an array of lifelong health impacts. In some cases these impacts lead to premature death. “In the past year we have added non-fatal drowning as a key issue to the Australian Water Safety Strategy, and commenced research to build our awareness and understanding of the impacts of non-fatal drowning. In coming years we hope to identify and report on our actions in response to this challenge.” RLS also continues to commit to the notion that all Australian
r new
l May June July
Swim schools save lives Year old
The available June to August 2016 pool DA numbers have shown an increase of 14 per cent over the same period last year. Over the three months, the only state to show a decline was mining-sensitive Western Australia (down 15 per cent), while all other states showed improvement. South Australia was up 36 per cent, Victoria up 27 per cent, New South Wales up 26 per cent and Queensland was up two 14 per cent. The annual figures were even comparing the 12 months to August. New South Wales was up 17 per cent, and Victoria and South Australia were both up 10 per cent; levelled out by Western Australia being down 25 per cent and Queensland being down 12 per cent.
Yearly comparison by month
The Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA) CEO Ross Gage urges all Australians to learn swimming and water safety skills in the wake of the report. Of particular concern to ASSA is the 21 fatalities in the under-five age group across all locations. “For every death, many are left with some form of permanent brain damage from immersions,” he says. “The report highlights that once again swimming pools are by far and
Market up 14 per cent as industry prepares for season
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Australia’s largest national swim school provider is urging 1000 parents to keep children’s drowning figures on a downward trend as statistics released today reveal an overall increase in 500 national drowning deaths this year. “The more children we have learning the life skill of swim0 Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar April May June July ming, the more chance we will see drowning statistics decline,” says Ian Campbell, managing director Jump! Swim old years swim teaching Year Schools – a specialist inYear early fornew chil5000 dren and babies from three months of age.
Aug
4000drowning deaths across all locations was The 21 under-five 30 per cent below the 10 year average. 3000
“Children under five are a high priority for drowning prevention initiatives and 2000 the statistics reinforce the importance of all children to develop water confidence and swimming skills by the time they1000 are primary school age,” says Campbell. He says the report0 reinforced the need for swimming to be Aug NSW VIC QLD WA taught early as a life skill for all Australians, with inland waterways continuing to be a leading location for drowning. He says Jump! identified the demand for learn to swim in regional and remote centres, many of which had no public swimming pools or swim schools, as part of its aim to ensure more Australian children were competent and exposed to the fundamental life skill of swimming and water safety.
Year new
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Yearly comparison by State
Learning to swim
away the main location for such terrible accidents. He recommends parents seek out an ASSA member swim school, but also says that while swimming and water safety lessons are vital layers of protection, they are not a substitute for proper supervision and barriers. ASSA promotes four Layers of Protection. 1. Constant adult supervision: Don’t let the kids out of your sight. 2. Proper barriers in place: Keep fences and gates locked up tight. 3. Swimming and water safety skills and education: Learn to Swim, and how to get to safety. 4. Emergency Action Plan: Always have a plan in case of emergency. ASSA encourages parents to enrol children in swimming lessons in their early months, allowing time for the infant’s immune system to strengthen and bonds to develop with their primary carers. To learn more you can go to splashmagazine.com.au for a QuickLink to download the full document.
Three-monthly comaparison
children have the right to a comprehensive swimming and water safety education. “The skills of swimming, survival swimming, and basic rescue are all life savers, yet we know that there are many barriers: cost, distance, awareness, and acceptance for communities most at risk of drowning. We continue to benchmark skills, strengthen partnerships, and build Swim and Survive equity programs to provide more children with these lifelong skills.”
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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.
October/November 2016 SPLASH! 11
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news
Regulation
Minister says out-of-ground pool walls not “ordinarily” acceptable a Building Code of Australia (BCA) amendment to provide that, in New South Wales only, the external walls of swimming pools⁄out-of-ground pool walls could no longer be used as part of the swimming pool barrier, even if they were a minimum of 1200mm in height and fully compliant with all relevant Australian Standards. This alternate reading of the BCA only applied in NSW – out-ofground pool walls, as described in the BCA, are accepted as part of the barrier in all other states. It is not known how many of the 20,000 projects in question have section 22 exemptions. Pool certifiers have reportedly been confused by the NSW variation. On Friday, 2 September 2016, as part of the General Purpose Standing Committee for the examination of proposed expenditure for the portfolio area of Local Government, Shadow
The New South Wales Minister for Local Government, Paul Toole, has responded to questions raised by Shadow Minister Peter Primrose in a budget estimates committee relating to out-ofground pool walls. His reply is not what many industry members have been hoping for, as he says an outof-ground pool wall would only be acceptable as a barrier if the council found it impractical or unreasonable to do otherwise, and a section 22 exemption had been granted and filed with the relevant local authority. It is understood this interpretation would apply even for existing pools. It is estimated there are 20,000 swimming pools in New South Wales which include at least one out-of-ground pool wall, and it has been common practice to include such walls as part of the protective barrier. This practice was brought into question in May 2013 via
Minister Peter Primrose asked the following questions: a) Are out of ground pool wall legal now? If not what action has been taken by you to alert the owners of such pools that their pools are illegal? b) Were pools with out of ground pool walls ever legal? c) How are the owners of such non-complying pools being notified? d) How is the rectification being monitored and by whom? e) What penalties apply for non-compliance? The questions were taken on notice by the Minister, and at he returned with the following combined answer to the committee in late September: External walls of out of ground pool walls would not ordinarily satisfy the requirements of section 7 of the Swimming Pools Act 1992. This has been the law of NSW since the inception of the Act. Provisions introduced into the Building Code
of Australia by AS1926.1-2012 preserve the law of NSW. Under section 22 of the Swimming Pools Act 1992, a local authority may grant exemptions from barrier requirements that are impractical or unreasonable in particular cases. Recording such exemptions is a matter for the relevant local authority. Pool owners are responsible for maintaining a compliant barrier. Local authorities have inspection and enforcement responsibilities to ensure compliance with the Act and Regulations. A list of penalties can be found under section 22 of the Swimming Pools Regulation 2008. The Shadow Minister is considering holding a Swimming Pool Stakeholder Meeting with the view of appraising the current swimming pool barrier inspection program and listening to suggestions put forward that seek to improve safety and certification outcomes.
Safety
Closing the pool gate As part of Kidsafe Victoria’s Closing the Gate on Backyard Pool Drowning campaign, SPASA Victoria has made several thousand DL cards and in-store posters available to members, to help combat the major causes
Keep informed by subscribing to the free online newsletter.
Top five online news stories
The online stories that made the news over the past two months.
10 year old boy dies on world’s tallest waterslide
SPLASH! breaks all records with biggest ever show
A terrible accident on the 100kph, 51 metre Verruckt waterslide at Schlitterbahn, Kansas saw the death of a young rider.
More exhibitors, more floorspace, more visitors and more associated events saw SPLASH! 2016 become the biggest ever pool and spa trade show in Australasia.
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of under-five drowning deaths including gates that don’t selflatch or self-close, climbable objects in the non climbable zone, gaps under the fence and propping the pool gate open. Contact: www.kidsafevic.com.au
October/November 2016
Cairns home to Australia’s first Crystal Lagoons giant pool Agreement made to create a 2.2 hectare lagoon in Cairns as the centrepiece of a new 1000-home Botanica residential development.
International Quadratics buys Pool Resources
Victorian coroner calls for new public pools body
As part of the company’s continued growth in the Australian pool and spa market, IQ has acquired South Australian distributor Pool Resources.
In her findings into a drowning death, the coroner described the lack of central oversight and regulation of public swimming pools in Victoria as “concerning”.
Upcoming events Piscine Global speed meetings
2016 Oct 10-14
World Water Congress & Exhibition, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
Oct 11-14
World Waterpark Association Show, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Oct 19-21
13th Annual World Aquatic Health Conference, Nashville, Tennessee
Oct 24-25
Hot Tub Living Expo, Birmingham, UK
Oct 24-28
IAKS International Congress, Honduras
Oct 28
SPASA SA Golf Day, Stirling Golf Club
Oct 30-Nov 4 International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo, New Orleans Nov 8-9
Skills Oz, Gold Coast
Nov 9
SPASA Victoria AGM
Nov 15-18
Piscine Global, Lyon, France
Dec 3-5
FINA World Aquatics Convention, Ontario, Canada
R-410A
2017 Jan 31-Feb2 Spatex, Coventry UK Apr 21-23
Diesel, Dirt and Turf Expo, Penrith NSW
May 12-14
Asia Pool & Spa Expo, Guangzhou, China
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.
October/November 2016 SPLASH!
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news
Acquisitions
Spa Tech Tips Make the most out of servicing spas You may have been called out to a customer’s spa for a routine service or to repair a specific fault. Many techs tend to forget there’s profit to be made through lateral sales, additional to the reason for service. For example, if you are on-site to fix a leaking pump union, don’t forget to check if the filter cartridge requires replacement – spa filters should be replaced every 18 months. Do the spa jets spin freely? Cleaning or replacements may be required. Grit in the bottom of the spa? Sell an underwater vacuum. Obvious corrosion under the pump? Replace the mechanical seal before bearings fail. Spa cover deterioration? Water logged or broken covers do not insulate well – measure up for a new one. Single speed pump systems? Recommend energy efficient two-speed system. Even if the current system is working, some replacements pay for themselves in two years.
IQ buys Pool Resources As part of the company’s continued growth in the Australian pool and spa market, International Quadratics (IQ) has acquired South Australian distributor Pool Resources. “The owners of Pool Resources SA, Rod and Jeff, decided it was time to put their feet up and take a well-deserved rest and retirement,” says IQ managing director David Lloyd. “Fortunately, we have been given the opportunity to continue their legacy so the ongoing supply of chemicals and equipment is guaranteed.” Lloyd says it was simple progression for the two companies as for the past 12 months Pool Resources had been distributing the IQ range of swimming pool chemicals and equipment in South Australia and the Northern Territory. “As far as we’re concerned, it’s business as usual with the added bonus of some additional prod-
Distribution
Pool Systems opens new warehouse Pool Systems has opened a new warehouse facility in Melbourne to service increasing growth and customer demand. The Victorian premises offers more than 500 square metres of warehouse facilities in Dandenong South, easily accessible from the M3 freeway.
The warehouse address is: Unit 5, 120 Rodeo Drive, Dandenong South. It will be open from 7.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.
Manufacturing
Narellan builds new Picton factory
Ensure the safety suctions are intact. If the pump is being replaced, the suctions will likely require replacement also, to comply with current standards. Ensure replacement pump is equivalent in flow rate to the original. For more information contact technical support at Australian Spa Parts 1300 736 025. Guests tour the new facility
SPLASH!
October/November 2016
Geoff Clow and Paul Cristea at the trade counter
“The Melbourne warehouse is a key element in allowing us to deliver leading service in the market,” says managing director Adrian Wischer. “We have built our reputation for quality brands and outstanding service and this new warehouse will allow us to offer an even better level of logistic support for our customers.”
Blower not working but your customer is reluctant to replace it? Point out the hygiene risks of stagnant water in the blower plumbing.
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uct and service offerings available to SA and NT customers,” he says. Jeff Wilson from Pool Resources says they have had many wonderful and rewarding years’ operating the family business, but they had to finally make the very difficult choice to head down the retirement path. “International Quadratics is a well-established and highly respected family business that has been involved in the water care industry for many years,” he says. “We are confident that under IQ’s management, Pool Resources (SA) will continue to trade as a successful and competitive local business.” From the 19th September 2016 International Quadratics will be trading as Pool Resources SA in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Contact: (08) 8359 4448; admin@prsa.com.au
Australian fibreglass pool manufacturer Narellan Pools has unveiled a new manufacturing facility in Picton, south of Sydney. The plant was constructed to service Narellan Pools’ growing domestic and international markets as the company enters an aggressive growth phase. The state-of-the-art facility includes an innovation centre to fuel continued development of the 40-year-old brand’s fibreglass technologies. “Today, clients are demanding a far more sophisticated product which requires us to continually innovate,” says Narellan Pools managing director Chris Meyer. “We have a history of innovation but our new facility
provides us with the scale and resources to take this to a whole new level – it more than doubles our manufacturing capability. We have a number of projects we are currently working on which we are going to be able to commercialise more quickly with our new facility,” he says. “We were finding it hard to keep up with the demand for pools during our peak periods heading into summer but our new facility fixes that. As a result, Narellan Pools’ immediate focus is to recruit and develop franchisees, franchising all remaining markets across Australia for the brand. We are fortunate to be in a position to create meaningful work and livelihoods for Australians.”
serious fun
SERIOUS BUSINESS
Whether they choose the TurboTwister®, Typhoon®, heliX™ or another S.R.Smith pool slide, you can help pool owners make the most of their backyard pool. By enticing a home owner to include a slide in their pool building plans, or adding to an existing pool you’ll be helping them create a fun, healthy play environment the entire family will enjoy. And don’t think their neighbors won’t notice! Choosing S.R.Smith is good pool fun for every family, and great pool business for you. Contact us to find out how your business can join S.R.Smith’s Pool Fun! p: +07 3812 2283 | e: info-au@srsmith.com
TurboTwister®
heliX
TM
Typhoon®
Cyclone
Swim N’ Dunk Basketball
Odyssey Jump Board
news
This year the Australasian awards went to:
Expo News The Melbourne winter consumer expo produced a spike of 25 per cent in attendance according to SPASA Victoria. The Spa & Pool Show enjoyed an increased marketing budget including TV placement focussed on the Olympic swimming races and the Boomers versus Dream Team basketball match. SPASA Victoria says exhibitors expressed great satisfaction with the summer-like crowds. Remco Australia has announced it will continue as the Major Award Sponsor for the SPASA Victoria Awards of Excellence program for the next three years, maintaining the prestigious Remco Pool of the Year Award. “We are really looking forward to the ongoing collaboration with SPASA Victoria and the wonderful Awards of Excellence program,” says Remco Australia’s Carl Voshege. FINA, the world governing body for the sport of Aquatics, has announced Contemplas as Event Partner of the 4th FINA World Aquatics Convention, taking place at Caesars Windsor Resort and Convention Centre Canada from December 3 to 5, 2016. Based in Germany, Contemplas has been developing, distributing and installing worldwide software solutions for motion analysis for the past 10 years. Projects have included integrating technology for the Olympic Training Centre in Berlin, the OSBC Aquatic Centre of the Singapore Sports Hub and carrying out athlete performance analysis for the Flemish Swimming Federation in Antwerp.
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October/November 2016
Franchisee of the Year: Charmhaven Citizen of the Year: Belconnen Awards
Swimart recognises its performers Each year, Australasia’s largest pool and spa specialist group Swimart, encourages its franchisees to stretch and improve themselves, with the most successful recognised at the annual Swimart Awards. The 2016 awards were held in Cairns in July, hosted by Swimart ambassador and Olympic swimmer Susie O’Neill (aka Madam Butterfly). “These awards recognise franchisees who have really proven their mettle across business and customer service parameters,” says Chris Fitzmaurice, Swimart Australasian manager. “Winning an award is a pinnacle achievement and it’s testament to the work that our franchisees put in during the year.”
Best Presented Business: Pakuranga Marketer of the Year: Cleveland Retailer of the Year: Rockhampton Best Sales Growth Franchise: Brighton Most Improved Franchise: Nerang The full list of awards is available at www.swimart.com.au.
Conferences
Work and sun in Langkawi Zodiac Australia held its sixth annual Titanium Conference in Langkawi, Malaysia in June, with 120 delegates attending, Enjoying the beach as representing more than 65 Zodiac Titanium part of the conference businesses from the pool and spa industry. Held over three days, the conference was a balance of business and pleasure where members had the opportunity to network with like-minded peers and with Zodiac staff to prepare themselves for the next season. The conference concluded with a gala awards night to recognise those longstanding members and supporters of the group.
Regulation
Victorian building regulation changes From 1 September 2016 a raft of changes to the Victorian building regulations came into force. The key changes are: 1. Consumers are now responsible for the Appointment of a Registered Building Surveyor 2. Builders must provide consumers with a CAV Approved Guide and enough time to read it, before signing a contract 3. All Major Domestic Building Contracts must include the CAV Checklist
Changes explained at a recent SPASA meeting
4. Tightening of Owner-builder regulations – proof of the knowledge and responsibilities of an Owner-builder will be required, with consumers to complete an online assessment achieving 100 per cent pass rate before applying for a Certificate of Consent 5. Introduction of 5 Year Registration 6. New Practitioner Disciplinary Processes Go to splashmagazine.com.au for a QuickLink to the VBA and CAV websites.
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Industry moves
Cooke Industries appoints new sales manager Brad Hamilton has joined Cooke Industries as their new Victorian sales manager, bringing more than a decade of industry experience to the role. Hamilton grew up in his family’s pool renovation business and been the operations manager in Swimart’s busy Malvern store for the past five years. He will support Cooke Industries’ network of partners
Brad Hamilton
through product education, sales training and business development initiatives. “It’s an exciting time to come on board with Cooke Industries,” Hamilton says. “We’ve got a great product range aimed at forward-thinking builders and I look forward to improving value for our partners. Contact: 1300 652 076
Industry moves
Two new appointments at IQ International Quadratic’s introduction of new innovations, an expanding product portfolio and a business acquisition has led the company to appoint new key staff. Andy Dodd has joined as national sales manager to further develop the Andy Dodd growing portfolio of products and service offerings in the domestic and commercials divisions. IQ director Adam Lloyd says Dodd has a wealth of experience in both the building and supply side of the industry. “This is of key value to IQ and falls in
line with type of ethos we proudly offer our customers,” he says. Ben Ross has also joined IQ as service manager for the group. He will be responsible for the support of technical products in both the commercial and domestic markets and will lead various training programs for the existing customer base. IQ is also currently advertising for sales account managers for both NSW and SA. Interested parties should contact Andy Dodd. Contact: (02) 9774 5550; andy@interquad.com.au
Industry moves
Kwaczynski elected president of ALFAQ The recent Australian Leisure Facilities Association Queensland (ALFAQ) annual general meeting held at the SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show on the Gold Coast saw a changing of the guard. David Speechley, ALFAQ president for a number of years, stepped down to enable him to focus on his new role as World President of the International Federation of Swim Teachers Associations (IFSTA). At the same meeting Dan Kwaczynski, managing director of Maytronics, was appointed as the new ALFAQ president, with Craig Tobin, from the Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association (ASCTA) re-elected as treasurer. Kwaczynski says it is gearing up to be an exciting year ahead. “David left us in a good position,” he says. “The organisation is more streamlined, yet capable of continuing to deliver member benefits.” Contact: info@alfq.org.au
Dan Kwaczynski
Industry moves Sadly, a number of industry members of long standing have recently passed away. Frank Kelly, the New South Wales industry legend passed away in June. He played an important role in the development of the industry in the Newcastle area in particular, initially through his pool construction company Frank Kelly Pools then also with his successful Kelly’s Pool and Spa World retail chain. At one stage the chain of three stores was the biggest BioGuard dealer in Australia and ran regular commercials on both television and radio. John Brunt from Aqua Clear in Auckland passed away in July. He had spent more than 30 years in the industry, beginning with filtration and pumping at Questa before starting Aqua Clear in 1993. Martin Cooper passed away in July after complications from a heart attack. He was the founder of Adelaide Pool Inspections and a staunch advocate for swimming pool safety and a committed contributor to the industry. Bruce Hattam of Victorian pool builder Neptune Pools passed away in July. He had been in the industry a long time, was well known throughout the state and the country and was very well-liked. SPLASH! offers condolences to bereaved family and friends.
October/November 2016 SPLASH!
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news
Industry moves
Industry moves Mark Sheridan has been appointed CEO of Hy-Clor (Australia and New Zealand). Ed Sinn executive chairman of the Hy-Clor Group says Sheridan will head up the new management structure of Hy-Clor, reflecting Hy-Clor’s recent rapid growth in the swimming pool market. “Mark has the experience and drive to build on Hy-Clor’s expansion in all areas of water treatment. He and his new Team are ready to begin a new phase in the Hy-Clor story,” he says. Alan Ross, the CEO of the Construction and Property Services Industry Skills Council (CPSISC) completed his employment with Skills Oz (the new entity replacing CPSISC) to pursue a career in the consultancy field. The board of Skills Oz thanked him for his 20 year service to the body that develops and promotes national training standards and qualifications. They say Skills Oz has been left in a strong position with highly skilled staff and a bright future. The board has decided that a new position titled Executive Director be created to replace the previous Chief Executive Officer position. The new position will primarily focussed on business development following the transition of Skills Oz from an industry skills council to a non-profit serving the employment and training needs of the construction and property services industry.
20
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October/November 2016
Focus appoints new sales manager John Charles has been appointed Focus’s new national sales manager. Charles has been in sales for 20 years in a variety of roles and has been in management positions at both Bluescope and Atlas Steel. He joined Focus Products five years ago, starting as an account manager in Victoria prior to moving to Queensland, where he continued in the same capacity with much success. After establishing effective relationships in both Victoria and Queensland, he moved into a nation-
al key account manager role prior to being offered the position of national sales manager. Focus Products says he has a strong passion and professionalism for the company and a vision to see the business develop to the next level of success. In this new position, Charles is responsible for providing management direction to the sales team and will manage relationships with other team members to ensure appropriate resources are available to support the growing dealer network. Contact: 1300 136 287
Industry Moves
Pool Systems appoints GM The Pool Systems board has announced the appointment of Darryl Barber as general manager and country head. Barber brings a wealth of leadership and operational management experience, having held senior roles and having owned his own businesses.
Managing director Adrian Wischer says he is delighted to announce the appointment and Barber will be a valuable addition to the Pool Systems team. “The board and I look forward to working closely with Darryl and drawing on his experience and expertise in driving Pool Systems to its next stage of growth,” he says.
Darryl Barber
Industry moves
New faces at Pentair
Dean Grimshaw
Brian Stott
Pentair has recently appointed Dean Grimshaw as Victorian sales manager. Grimshaw has sound industry experience at trade level, having previously managed distributor and builder accounts in Victoria and Tasmania before leaving the industry two years ago. Returning to the industry with Pentair, he will be working with all Victorian and Tasmanian distributors, builders and retailers to grow Pentair’s market penetration. Brian Stott has most recently been employed as the sales manager of Northern NSW and will cover as far up as the NSW coast as Coffs Harbour. Stott has been in the industry for
Kellie McAuliffe some time, having three years’ experience in the salt industry dealing with food companies, industrial use and of course swimming pools, before making his way into the pool industry selling chemicals, commercial equipment and pool equipment. This year Pentair has introduced a new marketing coordinator position for Aquatic Systems. Kellie McAuliffe has been appointed to the role. She will be responsible for all marketing enquiries such as branding, point of sale and displays, as well as assisting with any Pentair events such as trade shows and training.
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Backyard Legend Day ambassador Mike Whitney
Volunteering
Be a backyard legend The inaugural Backyard Legend Day campaign is a community initiative that encourages Australians to volunteer to complete a household chore for someone who could really do with a bit of help around the backyard or even the pool: someone elderly, disabled, sick or injured, a single parent or a struggling family. Backyard Legend Day ambassador, Mike Whitney, an Aussie legend himself, says he supports the campaign because it goes straight to the heart of Australia’s soul and our willingness to help less fortunate members of the community. “Backyard Legend Day is all about the Australian community spirit, which is something that runs deep in our veins. It’s in our nature to rally behind anyone who genuinely needs a helping hand and, what might seem like a small thing to us, can be a huge support to someone else.” The most recent ABS data on volunteering shows that the rate of volunteering in Australia has declined for the first time in 20 years with the rate of people who have volunteered dropping from 36
per cent to 31 per cent over a four-year period. According to Volunteering Australia CEO, Brett Williamson, this is concerning because the rate of volunteering is a key indicator of healthy communities. “We are seeing a shift away from formal volunteering through organisations because we are increasingly time-poor. Despite this drop in overall numbers, Australians are still very much a charitable bunch who want to support their communities.” These statistics, however, only account for formal volunteering through an organisation and do not include informal volunteering. Backyard Legend Day supporter, Victa, believes that if informal volunteering was included in the statistics, it would paint a different picture. “We believe that our country is full of unsung Backyard Legends,” says Victa spokesperson, Laura Clarke. “We think it’s high time that those people who help out someone in their local community through their own kindness and generosity receive some recognition and reward. We want to celebrate Australia’s informal volunteers who make a difference, no matter how small, and let them know that we are grateful for their contribution.” As part of Backyard Legend Day, the search is on for Australia’s Backyard Legend, someone who has gone above and beyond to help out a neighbour or someone in their community. “If you know somebody who has helped out in the community in this fashion, this is a great opportunity to say ‘thanks’ and show your gratitude by nominating them and telling their story,” says Ms Clarke. There’s $10,000 worth of prizes to be won, thanks to Victa. Backyard Legend Day is on Sunday, 16 October. For more information, visit www. backyardlegendday.com.au.
Global
Evoqua’s Neptune-Benson acquires Delta UV Evoqua Water Technologies and its recently acquired Neptune-Benson business has bought Delta Ultraviolet Corporation (Delta UV), a leading manufacturer and marketer of UV-C technology. The business is based in Gardena, California and terms were not disclosed. UV-C is a versatile technology used to disinfect water and destroy harmful micro-organisms in other liquids. With UV-C technology it is possible to reliably destroy or inactivate up to 99.99 per cent of pathogens. Delta UV, founded in 1999, has developed an award-winning range of UV systems providing water treatment solutions for pool and spa applications. The acquisition adds Delta’s UV systems to Evoqua and Neptune Benson’s portfolio of UV solutions, including ETS-UV systems and Wal-
lace & Tiernan brand Barrier UV products. The addition of Delta UV complements this range of existing UV offerings. Evoqua and Neptune Benson will now offer UV solutions for a large variety of applications, ranging from municipal, industrial, recreational and residential water applications. “We are pleased to welcome Delta UV to the Neptune Benson and Evoqua family,” says Ken Rodi, President of Evoqua’s Neptune Benson business. “We’re excited to add another strong UV solution to our offerings, giving our customers more choices when it comes to their water disinfection needs.” Benoit Gillmann, CEO of Bio UV says the teaming of Delta UV with Evoqua and Neptune Benson’s portfolio will lead to the next chapter of growth for the Delta brand.
Global news Compass Ceramic Pools opened a new factory in Senec, Slovakia, near Bratislava replacing a factory damaged by fire in 2015. Compass invested about €1.5 million in reconstruction and had previously hired a temporary production unit enabling them to remain active in the marketplace with a reduced capacity. The new facility doubles the production capacity to 10 pools per day. Hayward Industries has acquired Kripsol Group, headquartered in Yuncos, Spain. Hayward has had a long standing relationship with Kripsol and says it fulfils their strategy of manufacturing close to their customers. Kripsol markets its products around the world under the Kripsol and Fiberpool brands, manufacturing a broad line of products including pumps, filters, ladders, lights, salt chlorinators and controls. Kripsol will continue to operate as a separate entity. Fluidra has acquired 70 per cent of SIBO, a leading swimming pools and aquatic company with a major presence in the Benelux countries and Germany. At the time of signing the deal, €5.7 million were paid, with the remaining amount deferred until 2018, based on the results achieved in 2017. This transaction will allow Fluidra to strengthen its presence in northern Europe, boost its growth in this strategic area and add a new product category to its portfolio, bio-pools, a type of pool that is becoming increasingly popular in northern and central Europe.
October/November 2016 SPLASH!
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Grants
$25,000 for water related help With 1.5 million children dying every year due to water-related illnesses, the need for clean water and improved sanitation is affecting many communities worldwide. This has inspired Reece Plumbing to support water projects in underdeveloped communities. A desire to highlight the important role that plumbers play in preventative health care shaped the inaugural 2015 Reece Grant initiative, which offers $25,000 in products or funds to a Reece customer undertaking a water-related project in an underprivileged community. The first year saw the grant divided between three recipients to help fund projects in India, East Timor and the Philippines. Justin Morris received $15,000 and partnered with the We Can’t Wait foundation to spend ten days in Nasik, India constructing toilet facilities at the Jila Parishad Prathamik School. During the assignment, Justin helped build 12 toilets, hand washing facilities and two 1000L water tanks for the 650 children attending the school. “What impacted me the most was the kids and just seeing how excited they were,” he says. “I’m a simple plumber just looking at putting in some toilets for these kids but they saw it as so much more. I really encourage any other plumber to help
In Brief
Justin Morris received $15,000 to help build 12 toilets, hand washing facilities and two 1000L water tanks for 650 children in India
the greater community and be part of these grants that Reece are offering.” The grant is open to Reece customers involved in a project due to be completed before 30 October 2017. Contact: www.reece.com.au
Competition
Win one of ten floating, waterproof torches from Dolphin The perfect torch for working around water, the new Dolphin LED lantern maintains the brands’ core features of being floatable, waterproof and tough. It features new technology, ergonomic design and four powerful LEDs offering 200 lumens of light output, meaning it shines twice as bright compared to the previous model, with a beam distance of 250 metres. In addition, it offers a runtime of 65 hours. Over the past 49 years Dolphin torches have become a staple item not only in the builder’s toolbox but also Australian households, with more than 20 million Dolphin torches sold in Australia and New Zealand. Dolphin is the market leader in torches and continues to be one of the most reliable and durable range of torches around, making them ideal for a multitude of situations, including a wide range of outdoor and work activities. The contoured base allows the torch to easily stand upright and the anti-roll shape of the torch is ideal in rough situations. It is powered by a 6V battery (not included). The new Dolphin LED lantern retails for $19.99. We have ten Dolphin LED lanterns to win. Simply go to the Competition tab at splashmagazine.com.au for details. The new Dolphin LED lantern
Pool and spa retail franchise network, Poolwerx, has been ranked among the top franchises in the world by leading franchise information and business intelligence specialists FRANdata. Their FUND Report for banks and lending institutions in Australia ranks the credit profile of the Poolwerx franchise system in the top quintile of the worldwide franchising sector. Poolwerx says it is the first brand to authorise the distribution of this objectively produced report to all active Australian franchise lenders, which will not only enhance their lender relationships but also promote improved finance access for franchise partners. SPASA WA recently met with the building commission and local government authorities to help improve the confusing and inconsistent application process for building permits. SPASA WA expects that the building application process will be eventually become consistent across all local government authorities. SPASA WA has also recently met with the State Ombudsman’s office who is currently conducting an investigation into the prevention of deaths of children by drowning. The report primarily focuses on the performance of local government and their conformance with the regulations and the act. Pending the Ombudsman’s approval the report is likely to be tabled in Parliament in the first half of 2017. SPASA WA will continue to discuss the likely outcomes of the report and provide an update in due course. Go to splashmagazine.com.au for a QuickLink to the review document.
October/November 2016 SPLASH!
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feature
24c per Kw/hr; and that higher volumes of water in the larger pipes would require changes to the filter.) It is quite clear that if you take a short cut on the pipe size, you will short cut your client. If you find 65 mm pipe and fittings difficult to purchase from industry suppliers then they can always be purchased through the commercial arm of Total Eden. If enough builders start to use it I’m sure industry suppliers will stock and sell it. At the recommended maximum suction velocity of 1.8 mps, 50 mm pipe can only carry 258 lpm; 65 mm pipe 400 lpm; and 80 mm pipe about 570 lpm. 65 mm is an excellent size to fill the considerable gap between 50 mm and 80 mm pipe.
Startup of a variable speed pump
There have been complaints from some clients that using their new VS pump at low speeds leads to algae growing in some parts of the pool. The location of eyeball inlets within any given pool leads to a water circulation pattern unique to that pool, causing the water body to move continuously while the pump is in use. That circulation pattern will normally be set in place within the first 10 - 15 minutes of pump activation and it will take up to six hours to cease completely when a pump is turned off. Starting this water movement pattern to avoid dead spots that were not previously present requires the pump to be set so that it starts and runs for about 15 minutes on high speed before reverting to a preset lower speed.
Providing the full benefit of variable speed pumps By Cal Stanley
I
have written about variable speed pumps before, but a recent event highlighted a problem many in our industry may not be aware of or chose to ignore. Variable speed (VS) pumps developed because they can potentially save pool owners many dollars on their running costs. In order that your client may maximise electricity savings however you, as the seller and/or installer, must create the circumstances so that these savings can be achieved. To get the best saving in power costs and those indicated on the product brochures, the pump must be connected to plumbing sized to handle the pump flow at highest speed (normally 2850 rpm) and at a head loss of about 10 metres. This is so important that I am going to say it again. To get the full benefit in power savings from a variable speed pump, ensure it is connected to a pipe system capable of handling the flow at high speed – NOT just at the speed it is expected to operate most of the time. I recently came across a pool with two 2.6 hp VS pumps. Each was drawing 1950 watts at high speed (2850 rpm). These pumps have a 65 mm inlet to the hair and lint pot but are delivered with both 65 mm and 65/50 mm connections 26
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October/November 2016
and this is the first problem. It encourages pool builders to connect the pumps to 50 mm pipes. The connection is designed at 65 mm because that is the pipe size that needs to be used to get the savings outlined in the sales brochure. One of those pumps was connected to a lengthy pipe run of about 60 metres coupled with an undersized filter and two heat pumps. When flow-tested, it was found to be pumping only 280 lpm PIPE
PUMP
HEAD LOSS
dia.
rpm
metres
50 mm
2850
65 mm
The filter and other equipment
Again, for the reasons given above it is important that the filter and all other equipment be sized for the high speed of any VS pump plus a bit more just so that it is not always working at the upper edge of its design parameters. If you don’t, not only will the equipment not last as long, but the power savings will be less. On the job I mentioned above, the filter was only just large enough for the pumps to run at 2000 rpm but was not large enough for the combined flows at 2850 rpm. ■ POWER
watts/hr
RUN TIME
ANNUAL
lpm
hrs per day
COST ($)
18.2
280
1950
4
683
2850
11.2
520
1950
2 1/4
384
50 mm
2000
9.6
200
1950
5 3/4
172
65 mm
2000
5.8
365
1950
3 1/4
53
(litres per minute) at 2850 rpm. When the speed was dropped to the normal operating speed of 2000 rpm the flow dropped to 200 lpm. This flow rate was still adequate for the required task, but the client was not getting the full cost saving and the above table shows why. (Note: With the above table, the numbers are based on an average daily turnover of 70 cm per day and power at
FLOW
For these informative articles, Cal Stanley draws on his 35 years’ experience and success in pool construction, having run award-winning pool construction company Neptune Pools in Western Australia for three decades. For the past five years he has worked as a pool consultant and trainer and delivers hydraulics courses for the swimming pool industry. If you have a question regarding his columns or a have a topic you think he should delve into, contact him on: neptunepools@westnet.com.au
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Aqua Technics markets backyard swimming ABOVE: Aqua Technics produced 15-second and 30-second TVCs as well as a longer video for online viewing
RIGHT: True professional Blair Evans braving the cool Perth winter to shoot the commercial
P
artnering with Swimming WA, Aqua Technics is promoting swimming participation at all levels, with a focus on backyard pools. The initiative involves champions, past and present, telling their story about how their swimming dreams began. The video series tracks the journey of swimmers Blair Evans, Fiona Alessandri (Wildy), Lara Mist, Jeremy McClure and Elizabeth Edmondson. All swimmers in the series have something in common – their journey began in a backyard pool. “Some of Australia’s greatest swimmers spent all summer in their backyard pool before joining their local swimming club and going on to win Olympic and Commonwealth gold,” says Ben Beale, executive director of Aqua Technics. As part of the series, Aqua Technics filmed 15-second and 30-second TV commercials with
swimmer Blair Evans, which went to air on Channel Seven. A longer version of the video was shared on social media, receiving more than 30,000 views. “The content marketing video series is a very different approach for us, because we are encouraging people to get involved with swimming, rather than creating advertising with a direct sales message,” says Beale. The initiative particularly aims to strengthen Aqua Technics’ connection to the grassroots swimming community in Western Australia, where the company’s operations are based. “It makes sense for Aqua Technics to establish closer ties with our community. We want to be part of the push to encourage greater participation in swimming, because that can only be a positive for our business and our industry,” he says. The video with Blair Evans was filmed at Aqua Technics’ display centre on a cold winter’s day in Perth. “Blair braved the cold weather to film the ad and the longer-form video for social media. She was an absolute professional. Looking at the video you would never know that it was about fifteen degrees outside!” The video series was also promoted by Swimming WA to its network, with the videos shared amongst local swimming clubs throughout the state. “Partnering with Swimming WA allows us to connect with people who are already involved with swimming. It also positions Aqua Technics as a supporter of grassroots swimming, which is a space we want to occupy,” he says. Research shows Perth leads the way in private pool ownership, with a 2015 Roy Morgan poll finding 18 per cent of all Perth residents live in a household with a swimming pool, well above the national average of 12 per cent. You will find a link to the survey and the Blair Evans video at the QuickLinks tab at splashmagazine.com.au. ■ October/November 2016 SPLASH!
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RIGHT: The pump is the heart of the pool’s filtration system; without it, the pool would lose its sparkle and soon turn green BELOW: The Pentair Pantera BOTTOM: The Pentair IntelliFlo
Choosing the right pool pump
W
ith all the different types of functions now available on a swimming pool or spa, it can be difficult to decide exactly which pump – or series of pumps – is required for a particular project. Matching the pump to the hydraulics is essential to achieve optimum flow, turnover and safety, as well as managing power consumption and being cost effective. We’ve asked supplier experts for their advice on this essential piece of equipment, and they offer not only interesting technical details but many tips worth considering.
The heart of the pool
Bryan Goh from Waterco provides a backgrounder on a pump’s operation.
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 (i.e. an in built ‘strainer’ that catches leaves and other large debris before they get sucked into the pump and clog its impeller), 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 the water is filtered before it is sanitised and/or heated. After being filtered, the water is then pumped back to the pool. The things they take into consideration include:
• How big is the pool and what is the volume of water? • How long do you need to circulate the water? • Does the pool have ancillary equipment such as in floor cleaning systems, pressure pool cleaners or water features? • What is the distance from pool to pump? What are its pipework characteristics? • Is a suction cleaner used? There is certainly continued growth of multi-speed and variable speed pumps, with pool owners attracted to the energy savings and low noise they generate. Also, the improved filtration performance via specialised valves such as the FlowVis flow valve maximises energy efficiency while simultaneously ensuring sufficient flow and pool turnover.
The pump is the heart of the pool’s filtration system; without it, the pool would lose its sparkle and soon turn green. 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.
How do pumps work?
The job of your pump is to basically draw water through the filtration system so that the pool water is kept clean and is properly circulated. October/November 2016 SPLASH! 31
feature
Domestic pumps
Most pumps are used for the purpose of recirculation, drawing water from the pool and pumping water through the filter. It is the filtration pump that normally operates the longest hours, with the average domestic pool pump running for around six to eight hours a day. Domestic pumps can be used in conjunction with pool ancillaries such as heating, in-floor cleaning and water features.
Image: Hayward
High performance domestic pumps
ABOVE: The beauty of a well filtered pool, thanks to the pool pump
High performance domestic pumps fulfil the same function as domestic pumps, but are designed to provide a more powerful water flow, making them ideal for large domestic swimming pools equipped with multiple ancillaries or commercial pools.
Commercial pumps
These are suited to commercial-sized swimming pools that require a high rate of circulation due to their large volume of water; designed to operate under very demanding conditions.
Ancillary pumps
Ancillary pumps are pumps used for purposes other than filtration. This could be a dedicated pump
32
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for solar or 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 or pressure pool cleaners.
Energy saving pumps
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 would like to pump water through the filter, thus saving energy and reducing running costs. 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 either be 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 a majority of its running time, leading to significant energy savings. Higher speeds can be triggered to provide adequate flow for ancillary equipment, such as providing sufficient flow of water to operate a suction cleaner.
What is the function?
Peter Wallace of AstralPool looks at just what pump is required for the job at hand. Choosing the right pool pump comes down to a function of the application: Is the pump supplying water for the filtration system or is it supplying water for a dedicated application such as a water feature, spa jets or perhaps a dedicated pool cleaner circulation system?
Pool filtration system
most pumps are sized to give 1.5 or even three complete turnovers each day. However, this will be dependent on the selected filter size. It is acknowledged that a sand filter will perform best with a flow rate of 7-10-litres per second per square metre of surface area. This
ABOVE: AstralPool Viron P320
THE
The first point to consider is the swimming pool turnover on a residential pool at least one complete turn per day in the intended hours of operation. So for a 50,000-litre pool, we would expect a minimum of 50,000-litre flow rate each day, and traditionally
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means that a 600mm diameter filter should have 2-2.8 litres per second (or 120-170 LPM) during the filter cycle. However, backwashing the filter clean will require more flow rate - approximately 13-litres per second per square metre of filter area. For backwashing, a 600mm diameter filter requires 3.7 LPS, or 220-litres per minute to lift and expand the sand bed, release the trapped debris, and backwash to waste. This is where a variable speed pump is perfect. A setting providing 120-170 LPM during the filtration cycle will give optimum filtration and water clarity while operating at a higher speed will ensure the filter is cleaned perfectly, preventing build-up of contaminants and solidification of the sand bed. And remember the affinity laws – half the speed, quarter the operating pressure, 1/8th of the power consumption. So where a traditional single speed 1 hp pump with a flow rate of say 240 LPM at 10-metre head will backwash well, it can sometimes be ramming the debris through the sand bad or even channelling the sand bed, which reduced the effective filter depth. The cost savings are really significant: The single speed one horse pump will cost around 28 cents an hour to operate whereas a variable speed will cost around four cents an hour. That’s a saving of around $700 per year, every year the pump is in operation. At around 150 LPM flow rate, the variable speed pump will turnover 72,000-litres in eight hours – that’s almost 1.5 complete turns of a 50,000-litre pool, meaning the minimum turnover is easily achieved. Even if using cartridge filters that do not require backwashing, variable speed pumps still provide significant advantages. Slower velocity through the cartridge element means better filtration. And vacuuming or
the occasionally high flow circulation can still be achieved.
Running time and speed
The question I sometimes hear is: “Why do we need to operate the pump for eight hours a day?” There are two reasons for this: 1. Salt chlorinators are generally sized to produce sufficient chlorine to sanitise a pool over an eight-hour period, and 2. The pool skims the surface and cleans leaves and debris for at least 1/3 of each 24-hour period. Some other factors to consider when determining the actual speed of the pump during filtration: • Is the pool skimming effectively? • Is the chlorinator cell full? • Is there sufficient circulation to move water to all parts of the swimming pool? • If a suction pool cleaner is in use, will it operate effectively at the filter speed? In any case, adjusting the pump speed up to achieve these requirements will still result in very significant operating savings.
Running costs
When asked how much is a new pool pump, the retailer should always respond, “To buy or to operate?” The additional cost of a variable speed pump over a single speed pump is usually recouped in the first year. There are almost no other energy efficient appliances that offer this return on investment. And don’t forget the other (often overlooked) benefits of a variable speed pump: • The pump is very quiet at lower speeds • The motor and pump will last longer operating at a lower speed because less heat is generated by the motor • All the equipment will last longer because
the operating pressure is reduced by up to 75 per cent When it comes to dedicated applications a single speed pump may be the right choice. If a constant flow is required, for spa jets or solar systems, the pump can be sized to match the total friction loss of the system enabling the perfect flow rate and ideal operating costs. However, if in doubt, a variable speed pump is flexible enough to overcome any unforeseen pressure losses or problems with the plumbing. Product research and development in the pool industry is often a function of what is available at a cost competitive price from other industries. Variable speed has only become available in the last decade due to the advances and cost downs in the electronics industry, which has made power drive components relatively affordable. Many products have or are about to go through some fairly significant advances in technology providing savings in operating costs, increases in efficiency and performance and easier operation. The reason is often related to economy of scale and the cost of components and manufacturing. As raw materials and components become cheaper, the ability to incorporate new ideas and applications into the swimming pool and spa industry increases. An example is the advent of open sourced smartphone apps for android and iTunes, which has enabled the rapid advancement of pool and spa automation systems. However, the limitation is then how do these systems integrate with different manufacturers’ products such as chlorinators, heaters, variable speed pumps, and chemical monitoring systems. I think we are in for some exciting times with the technology now available that can be applied to our industry.
AstralPool’s Viron Connect can control more than just the pump
AstralPool’s Viron P320 October/November 2016 SPLASH!
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How important is energy efficiency to your customer?
ABOVE: Hayward’s Tristar VS pump
The efficiency question
Simon Gamack of Hayward Pool Products looks at pump efficiency. When deciding how to choose a pool pump there is an important question that you need to ask and some preconceived ideas that you will need to try and prevent from influencing the way you make your choice.
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Before you consider pool size, number of jets or filter size you need to know if your customer is after a variable speed pump which may be more expensive to buy but saves up to 90 per cent on swimming pool running costs in the long run. Quite often the presumption of what your customer is prepared to spend is not always going to be accurate. We – the pool professionals – need to give them all the options and information so they can make their own informed decision. Over the past three-to-five years, variable speed pumps have rocketed to popularity based on the energy savings. It’s easy to justify a pump that will potentially save you 90 per cent over a conventional single speed pump, depending on how much flow they require to meet their needs. Integration with control systems also allows adjustment of pump speed to deliver desired performance at optimum operating cost. Pumps such as the Tristar VS and MaxFlo VS feature a timer for stand-alone operation, with programmable periods of high speed to drive pool cleaners and in floor systems but can also be used in conjunction with Hayward control systems for complete system integration and automation. This is the way of the future.
heliocol splash half 092016.indd 1
Image: Waterco
Variable speed (VS) pumps in nature are a lot more flexible in their applications, due to the fact you can “vary” their speeds, and program the duration of these speeds. VS pumps suit a wide range of installations. If the customer does not prioritise energy efficiency then the next step is sizing a single-speed pump to both the pool and the pool filter. There is no point in putting a 320 litre per minute (or LPM) pump on a filter that can only handle 250 LPM. When estimating how many litres per minute you require, you have to calculate the volume of the pool then multiply it by two. On average the pool water should be turned-over twice per day, meaning if your pool is 50,000-litres you will need a filtration system capable of moving 100,000-litres every 8-10 hrs. Once you have calculated what flow rate the filter can handle and what flow rate the pool requires, you can decide on the flow rate of the pump you should choose. Then it comes down to choosing quality, range and your budget. One thing to keep in mind when it comes to flow rates is that bigger is not always better. If you put too much flow through a filter it will cause backpressure and cost you more money on power bills. If you only need 1kw, why would you use 1.5kw? You will also need to look at pipe sizing, distance and elevation of the filtration from pool and how many bends and twists are involved in the plumbing.
These are all lumped together to form the term Total Dynamic Head, or TDH. Most residential installations are around 8-10m of TDH. Hayward pumps flow rates are all calculated at this TDH making it easy to select the right pump; if it’s a special case then our brochures carry the performance curve to aid in the decision. As mentioned earlier, factors including in-floor cleaning, height difference from pool to the pump and size of pool pipe will affect this TDH. New pool installations should come with at least 50mm plumbing to and from the pool, which will reduce TDH and help the performance of the filtration equipment. Consumers should always talk to a pool professional before selecting a pump solution.
ABOVE: Clean water is the aim
9/9/16 2:13 PM
October/November 2016 SPLASH! 37
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YOUR CHANCE TO BECOME A DEALER!
Australian assembly Robert Sterland from Pentair Aquatic Systems suggests a few things to look for. Specific things I’d look for include:
Made or assembled in Australia. Chinese imports generally do not go through the same quality control as locally built products. • Large leaf baskets with cam and ramp lids for less frequent and easy maintenance. • Stainless steel screws, nuts, motor shaft, etc. • Good quality ¾” mechanical seal. • Double insulated to water circuit. • Quiet running. • Brand name motor bearings e.g. NSK or SKF. And of course, make sure the pump has the Australian standard RCM mark or a listed certificate number – it is illegal to sell uncertified pool pumps in Australia.
The wet and the dry
Terry Day of New Fluid Technologies looks at the two major components of a pump.
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The faster that water flows along inside a pipe and also through a filter, the more resistance to its flow (termed the “system resistance”). However, that resistance is not proportional to the difference in speed. It follows the “affinity” laws that operate throughout the universe. If you double the speed through a pipe the resistance does not also double but instead increases fourfold. However, what’s worse is that when the speed doubles, the power, such as electrical power, increases by the cube law. That means eight times! (2x2=4x2=8). That means that when you brutally ram the water along the pipes through the filter, you actually manufacture the very resistance you then have to pay money to overcome. You see it on your electricity bill. You can also gouge channels through the filters filtrate, reducing filtering efficiency. The fixed speed, induction motors are to blame. Now that the more environmentally friendly variable speed drive, or VSD, motors have been applied to pool filtration, filtering costs have come way down. This is because, unlike many other pumping applications, pool filtration is able to take place over many hours per day. Many pool pump manufactures boast their VSD pumps deliver up to 90 per cent electricity savings per year.
Confidential enquiries can be directed to:
Neville Fenton E: neville@aquatechnicspools.com.au M: 0412 654 399 www.aquatechnicspools.com.au
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The tiny Supa Stelth pump
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These usually run at about 1200RPM to 1400RPM. The pump can also run at high speed for its non-filtering functions such as priming, floor cleaning and crawling vacuums, etc. The various speeds (RPMs) are enabled by electronic controllers that employ programmable computer chips.
AS5102
The Australian Government introduced a voluntary standard to try to quantify the performance expectations of pool pumps, the Australian Standard AS5102. AS5102 has received challenges from outside and from within the pool pump manufacturing industries. Its aims are sensible; however it allows for self-testing and has no control over manufacturers’ interpretations of test results even though its instructions are clear. It also allows for very different test stands and does not require pumps to be set up in “real” situations but instead allows these conditions to be simulated. Manufacturers then present to Government their own assessment as to the “litres per watt hour” the pump achieves and it is then awarded a corresponding star, which the manufacturer can put on the pump label and otherwise advertise. Litres per watt-hour indicate the dollar cost-to-pump a nominated quantity of water at a nominated pressure. AS5102 stipulated a standard of 120-litres per minute at 2.6 metres head pressure. The amount of litres per watthour indicates the energy efficiency of the pump. The pump “wet end” and motor together are considered to be the pump generally and in AS5102. For high efficiency pool pumps, the stars jump in one star increments, with a higher star indicating 25 per cent more litres per watt-hour. That is a huge jump to get an extra star. Naturally, manufacturers want to be able to advertise the highest star rating. These VSD slow running pumps really do run at reduce electrical energy cost. They are the preferred type to use over the fixed speed induction motor pumps. But they usually cost more. The reduced running costs more than compensate though, and it doesn’t take long to be ahead dollar wise.
Power factor
There are hidden dragons: When running at low RPM these VSD pumps exhibit a very low “power factor” or PF. Imagine alternating electric current in a wire being like water in your bath. It can be sloshed backwards and forwards and it gets up a “resonance” requiring only a little swipe each direction to maintain its movement and amplitude. With electricity, the maximum or peak volts, being the force, can get out of “phase” with the maximum or peak current. Viewed on a chart, the tops of the sine waves for volts and for amps (electric current) do not lie exactly over each other. “Power” here means watts of electrical power. To the degree they are out of “phase” is expressed as the Power Factor or PF. Electrical watts = volts multiplied by amps. 240 volts multiplied by 2 amps = 480 watts etc. If less than peak volts is multiplied by less than peak amps (current) the electrical watts snatched from the passing electricity in the mains supply may be, for example, only 60 per cent of the available electric watts. This means a PF of 0.6. Many of the VSD pumps, at low RPM, have PFs between 0.57 and 0.64. The governments don’t like this because the electricity delivery lines have to be larger and power generation greater so that these low PF motors can take only a fraction of the available watts in passing. However, once the electricity gets through the controller and into the motor these motors are much more efficient than fixed speed induction motors. All up, the reduced system resistance dollar savings still outweigh the negative aspects. Why would you buy a VSD pump?
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October/November 2016 SPLASH!
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To save yourself money. You will still be saving the planet but a bit less than you thought.
Solid body vortex
Over the past decade, the Stelth pump has emerged employing a principle called “solid body vorticity”, written up in the scientific literature but never before thought of as a potential pump. Conventional pumps develop pressure by accelerating water via the impeller and then decelerating it along expanding area cross-section passages called diffusers. But the Stelth pump, briefly, has an internal geometry that encourages a water vortex, which rotates at nearly the RPM of the impeller. The water molecules line up like wheel spokes and also in the axial direction. Stroboscoping establishes this and scientifically it can be described. The vortex periphery therefore goes faster than the impeller periphery. A vortex-forming surface enforces the constant diameter of the vortex, which rotates within a larger, non-round, water filled chamber. The high-speed water in the vortex “diffuses” across an invisible, non-solid, wall into much slower water that is further slowing and thus acting as a diffuser, which raises its static pressure through to discharge. The vortex continually evacuates its core and atmospheric pressure pushes more water into the pump inlet and into the vortex core. These solid body vortex pumps do not employ a “cutwater” or multiple diffuser passages, essential to conventional centrifugal water pumps and also where all the noise is generated. Hence there are no noisy water “wake collisions” downstream of the impeller discharge. ■
Investigating swimming pool pumps in Australia and New Zealand The Department of the Environment and Energy has commissioned a report called Pool Pumps: An Investigation of Swimming Pool Pumps in Australia and New Zealand prepared by Woolcott Research and Engagement. The report was commissioned as part of the department’s efforts to improve energy efficiency in the pool sector by gaining a greater understanding of consumer behaviours and the current equipment being used. This is quite a comprehensive report including numbers and types of pumps for each household, extrapolated from a sample of 1752 pool and spa owners in Australia and New Zealand. Conclusions, key outtakes and implications include: 1. Price appears to be the main driver in the purchasing decisions of consumers and this appears to be confirmed by industry professionals. Communication should highlight the potential cost savings to be gained from use over the life of a typical pump. However, it is important that such claims are realistic and not over-stated. 2. Many consumers do not know the types of pumps they have in their pool showing a lack of engagement with their pool and/ or spa pump(s). 3. Consumers are seeking advice from pool professionals to help them in their purchasing decisions showing the importance of these professionals in influencing the decision-making in relation to pool and spa pumps. 40
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4. Retailers/builders/suppliers/installers have divided views on the energy efficiency claims of pumps and are providing mixed messages and in some cases misinformation. Therefore, there is a need to directly address some of these misconceptions in communication about variable speed pumps. 5. Some consumers are also turning to online sources for information and purchase highlighting the need for simple, accurate and easy to use information online. The full report is available via the QuickLink tab at splashmagazine.com.au.
Contact: AstralPool: www.astralpool.com.au Hayward: www.hayward-pool.com.au New Fluid Technology: www.supastelthpumps.com Pentair: www.pentair.com.au Waterco: www.waterco.com.au
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SPLASH! breaks all records with biggest ever Australasian pool and spa trade show
T
he SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show has “come of age” according to visitors, exhibitors and organisers. Not only was the 2016 event the biggest ever pool and spa trade show held in Australasia; the effort, expense and creativity from the exhibitors saw many people compare the expo to American and European shows. There were more exhibitors than ever before, more floorspace and more visitors. The 122 exhibitors covered 4795 square metres of the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) exhibition floor, and a record 2427 visitors came to the show and the associated Swim Disability Conference, a 16 per cent increase over the 2014 numbers. Peter Wallace, managing director of AstralPool Australia, the show’s platinum sponsor, says he was just blown away by the quality of the stands and the presentation of the show. “When you stand back, it looks like an American or a European trade exhibition,” he says. “I don’t know what it is, whether it’s the building and the venue, but certainly the major exhibitors and even the smaller ones have spent a lot of money on their stands. It looks good, it’s professional and I think the best thing for all of us is that there have been plenty of customers through. I’m really happy with it. And I think having a show every second year really works, because there’s enough of interest to drag the customers in.” Interpoint managing director Simon Cooper says that the 2016 edition of the SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show really came of age with the move to the large GCCEC venue. “The venue provided opportunities for exhibitors to showcase the best of the best in terms of pool products and services,” he says. “The SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show has now cemented itself as the leading industry trade show in the Australasian market and placed itself for the first time on the international stage.” Cooper says he received comments from international attendees that the expo was comparable with those held in Europe and the USA. “With the largest ever attendance of exhibitors and visitors, the broadest ever provision of education and seminars and a popular new 42
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Networking and socialising on a warm Gold Coast evening
partnership established with the Australian Swim Schools Association who ran a successful International Swim Disability Conference – the stage is set for the 10th anniversary in 2018 to push SPLASH! into one of the top five pool and spa trade shows in the world.”
Education and ancillary events
The extensive education program included a series of SPASA Australia workshops and seminars conducted by BioLab experts Paul Jacobson, Julian Quinn and Bill Mansfield, as well as Mick Naidofski (TAFE), Lindsay McGrath (SPASA) and Brendan Butler (AstralPool Australia). Additionally there were two full days of educational seminars and technical workshops, as well as association meetings arranged by SPASA, ALFAQ, ASSA and a number of industry annual conferences timed to coincide with SPLASH! Ross Gage, CEO of the Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA), says he is delighted with ASSA’s affiliation with SPLASH! “The collaboration has resulted in a world-leading conference on teaching people with disability to swim and a first-class inaugural Australian Swim Schools Conference,” he says. “By linking with the superb SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show, we provided a level of engagement to the swim school industry not seen before in Australia,” he says. There were a large number of other associated events including a comprehensive training schedule and the SPASA Australia National Awards Gala. The Poolrite welcome drinks was a busy, exciting networking event, bubbling with conversation, that led to a number of other industry get-togethers later in the evening. The next SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show on the Gold Coast will be held on August 1 to 2, 2018 at the same venue, the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Please note while SPLASH attempted to get around and talk to everyone at the show, as the expo gets bigger and bigger it becomes harder to meet everyone, and harder to fit every interview into the increasingly larger show review. ■
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1. The change of venue to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) saw an increase in visitation of 16 per cent. 2. Many exhibitors took advantage of the taller ceilings at GCCEC to build impressive stands. As Peter Wallace from platinum sponsor AstralPool Australia says: “When you stand back, it looks like an American or a European trade exhibition.” 3. Rugby league legend Billy Slater captivated visitors to the Pool Pro stand, where they took selfies and had the opportunity to talk to the champion fullback. 4. The wider aisles meant that the larger crowd was easily accommodated. 5. New from Pentair at SPLASH! was the Australian-developed Pantera Evolution. Robert Sterling says it is based on the Pantera 1100 pool pump, but with efficiency gains it now only needs a 950 watt motor. “It has a two speeds: 2850rpm and 1450rpm. Because it’s only two-speed, it’s about 30 per cent less expensive than a full variable speed pump, but the cost savings you get from it are almost the same. Also it has an electronic control on it, which is new for two-speeds. And it retrofits to the LPT and Pantera series pumps as a drop-in replacement.” 6. International Quadratics displayed a wide range of products including their new commercial equipment range as well their Theralux mineral pool system for the residential market.
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7. Elena Gosse with the improved Ecoline which has been modified to satisfy some customer concerns about the high current electrical contacts. So now when it is serviced, it can be disconnected from the frame to be worked on. “That’s the beauty of having an in-house R&D team. We have all the electronic and chemical engineers in-house, so we can do any modification or address any customer concerns very quickly.”
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8. This year Kreepy Krauly celebrated the 40th year of being 100 per cent designed and made in Australia. At SPLASH! they had a lot of staff servicing a constant flow of interested visitors. 9. The Vodaphone business centre provided some interesting items including the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 waterproof phablet and intriguing virtual reality headsets, which saw visitors thinking they were actually under the sea. 10. The Poolrite welcome event was a vibrant affair, with plenty of food and drink and a hearty positive vibe. A great opportunity to network or just catch up with friends. 11. The Andrew Simons Memorial golf day is held on the Friday of every SPLASH! This year, sponsors LoChlor added a grand prize to their usual offerings. Following a unique sudden death playoff, four golfers won tickets to Las Vegas to attend the IPSPE 2017 show. The winners are shown here: Brett Mooney, Barry McCauley, John Thompson (who won the playoff for the team), Paul Simons (sponsor) and Mike Marshall. 12. One of the many popular seminars came from Sunbather’s Tom Boadle who spoke about environmental considerations with swimming pools. “A point I tried to make is that we can’t sweep under the carpet the fact that – to a certain degree – we do use a lot of energy. If we don’t self-regulate as an industry, we could end up being regulated, and that’s not a favourable outcome for anyone.” Members of the federal government MEPS program were in attendance and later sought out Boadle and other industry members interested in energy conservation. “I’d also like to commend the organisers of this show. This is without a doubt the best swimming pool show ever and it’s the one to beat. It’s not just a little bit ahead; it’s in front by a country mile.” 13. The extensive education program included a series of SPASA Australia workshops and seminars conducted by experts including BioLab’s Paul Jacobson, pictured here explaining circulation, filtration and pump performance.
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14. SPASA Australia took advantage of the national attendance at SPLASH! to hold their board meetings and sector meetings. Many industry businesses did the same, and held annual conferences during the same week while everyone was on the Gold Coast. 15. Tony Sharpe of Hayward Australia says this is probably the best show he’s seen in Australia. “We’re very happy with the attendance and the show itself looks the best we’ve seen in a long time, and from a presentation point of view, the best ever. We caught up with existing relationships, talked about what’s coming up in the new season and validated the strategies we’ve put in place.” 44
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16 16. Paul Simons from Lo-Chlor (not pictured) says the new Starver product attracted a lot of attention. “Starver’s been the leading phosphate remover on the market since November 1994 when we first introduced it, and this is a new formulation we’ve been working on for about three years. We also had our chlorine-free products, which of course Chloe McCardel supports in a big way, having swum 16 hours straight in a swim spa sanitised by our product and loving it.” 17. Chloe McCardel (seen here second from right at the SR Smith stand) had a busy time at SPLASH! For a start, she was there supporting her sponsors TPEC and Lo-Chlor; she gave a talk at the Kurrawa Surf Club on the Tuesday night and of course, hosted the SPASA Australia awards on Thursday night. All of this while preparing to break Des Renford’s record of 19 crossings of the English Channel. 18. Maytronics was showing the new W20 robotic pool cleaner. “It’s the only robotic pool cleaner that can work in as little as 20cm of water,” says Chris Papa. “It’s designed for very shallow pools and water features. And also our 200 was popular – it’s the only commercial cleaner with a basket and a cyclonic cartridge system.” 19. Justin Nicholas from Cooke Industries found the change of venue added a real spark to the show, and their dynamic display helped generate interest in the QuikClean infloor cleaning system. “We had a lot of good enquiries from pool builders from all states: WA, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, New South and Queensland. That’s why this is the number one show. Even Don McChesney from the QuikClean manufacturer in the States came out to learn about the Australian market, how it’s different to the US and to offer us some tips. It’s a new era in pool plumbing really, but our challenge is to help bring about that change in the industry attitude to accept new ways and new ideas.” 20. Supreme Heating was one of the many companies to update their stand, focussing largely on the innovative Heatseeker UniPanel they’ve been working on for two years. “We set out to create a
17 universal solar heating panel with the ability to withstand the forces of nature – cockatoos and hailstorms in particular – in a flexible, contemporary design,” says Colin Mauger (not pictured). The eight-litre open-flow panel suits all applications, so it’s easy to ship, minimises travel damage, and is very convenient for the installer who only has to work out the configuration based on the hydraulic parameters. It also comes with a patented rail fixing system to overcome any issues with expansion and contraction. “This was the big launch for us here and we’ve been run off our feet and got a lot of positive comments. The show is really professional, it reminds me of the big European shows where exhibitors spend a lot of money. It’s been so busy I haven’t really had a chance to look around – but that’s a good thing!”
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21. Pool Systems thought out of the box with their stand design: having an angled exhibition space instead of the usual rectangular shape. 22. More fun and games at the very open and playful SR Smith stand.
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23. Bryan Goh from Waterco says it was fantastic to have everyone in the one spot at this year’s show. “There was a better flow of people, good quality of stands and a high level of professionalism as well. We were flat out on the first day especially. This year we decided to mainly show new products and keep it really focussed on the FlowVis valve, the Blue Square infloor system, and the eXact iDip which is our Bluetooth water testing system.” 24. Liz Hollingdale from Pool Controls focussed on their “hot off the press” extra-low salt XLS system. “It runs at 900ppm, which according to Terry is on the ‘threshold of taste’. In a good way that is, in that you can’t actually taste the salt. So it’s perfect for people who like the idea of using salt chlorination for sanitising their pool or spa, but they like a fresh water experience.” In other news, Hayward has picked up their salt chlorinators, using a modified Chemigem unit with a probe that accurately analyses the amount of chlorine in the water. “The advantage of our system is we can do it in a few hours, whereas some of the other systems need to run all day.”
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25. Peter Rabbidge from Zeolite Australia, with Greg Jones from Chadson Engineering, was at the very first SPLASH! show and says this is the best he’s seen. “I’ve come out of retirement just to come here and haunt everyone, and I’ve had a very good time catching up with old friends. The agreement I made with Greg Stephens was I’d put my hand up to help him anytime he wanted, so I’m here fielding technical questions.” Jones says the new venue is fantastic. “It’s much easier to walk around and meet people, great to network and catch up with friends.” 26. Zodiac had a big, immersive stand with lots of open space and dynamic displays including waterfalls and the new VX55 cleaner in a tank to show how it climbs walls. Peter Kolomyjec says they had up to ten people working on the stand, and they were constantly engaged all day. “We’ve been going from customer to customer to customer. MagnaPool is growing exponentially and we were explaining that, as well as the automation products and our new heaters – the JXi gas heater and ZS500 – and the new AX10 cleaner and the VX55 cleaner with the new tangle-free swivel. Then in the centre are our new chemical labs and the new software which we’ll be launching very soon.” 27. BioLab spent considerable effort building a new long and open exhibition space, highlighted by tall banners and featuring a barista and stylish lounges. Tony Watts says it’s all about looking after people. “I’m obviously new to the company, it’s been four months and I didn’t know what to expect when I came here, but we’ve had a good mix of new and existing customers coming through. They’ve been
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interested in our new chlorinators and the coffee’s been really popular. We’ve got our message across, which is great.” 28. Gary Clark from Aqua Quip says the show was fantastic. “It’s like a mini-US show. The quality of all the booths is amazing. We love the light and airy venue; we’re very happy. And we had a lot of quality people through. We’ve got a new booster pump to run everyone’s pressure cleaners, and it’s been received very well by the trade. It’s energy efficient, it’s light and nice and quiet.” Candy Gold (pictured) says their other news is that they’re exporting the Jet Vac back to the States. “We bought it to Australia, manufactured it locally, and now we’re exporting it back in container loads to the Sunbelt, along with the Twister and our Evo Max pool light which is 50 per cent brighter and has a quick disconnect plug at the back that the Americans just love.” 29. Rob Kruber from Spa Industries saw a lot of existing customers and got quite a few new enquiries for spa stores as well, in particularly from Queensland and New South Wales. “It was well worthwhile coming. The new venue was so much easier and you felt like part of the show, not out the back.” 30. Robert Savell (with Anna) from Hydrocare went for a bigger stand to help service existing customers and enlighten visitors about the benefits of Wibit. Savell also gave a “slightly controversial” talk at the ALFAQ conference, and promoted his new splash pad lighting. “The splash pad lighting is made by Waterworks International in America, and it came up a treat at Sponge Bob at Seaworld. They’re also using it in the Singapore Gardens.”
31 31. Carlos Del Amo, global marketing VP of Pentair, was attending his first SPLASH! expo. “Every market changes and Australia has changed in the past 15 years and I think it’s changed for the better. It’s a mature market, it understands the value. We all want to reach dealers and the pool trade... and deliver the message that we are in a thriving industry and we should all be very proud to be delivering that backyard environment and make it hassle-free for the consumers.” A full interview will appear in a forthcoming issue of SPLASH! and online. 32. Lauren Sewell (with Matt Brown) from the Department of Environment and Energy’s E3 program, the energy rating program currently used on a voluntary basis for pool pumps, came to the show together with pump project leader Peter McLoughlin. “We are in the process of developing a paper which will display a number of options around labelling and minimum energy performance standards, which we’re about to take out to consultation with the industry to get feedback on,” says Sewell. “We wanted to speak with the industry and find out firsthand from the experts what’s happening in the marketplace, what the innovations are, how variable speed pumps are being taken up in the market, and to show a presence to the industry. It’s been fascinating talking to the suppliers and seeing the new product lines and innovations – there are so many suppliers here it was hard to get around to everyone but if we didn’t get to anyone they can contact us on poolpumps@ industry.gov.au. We’d really like to get feedback on our consultation document.”
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33. Joel Stern from Sterns Playland with the jumbo pizza slice inflatable, one of the new range of fun pool toys. “We’ve also got the donut and the very popular swans and flamingos,” he says. 34. Ross Gage CEO of ASSA and Elena Gosse, CEO of sponsor AIS, outside the Swim Disability Conference which was held as part of SPLASH! “It’s wonderful that the show has partnered with the Australian Swim School Association, and we have partnered with them as well,” says Gosse. “And it’s great to see the swim schools interested in our technology and many visited our stand at SPLASH!” 35. Focus staff spent a lot of time focussing on Liqua and going through the service scheduling tool; as well as enticing passers-by with free popcorn and “geeky” pool chemical knowledge.
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36. Joe Spelta (right, with Mark, Amanda, Tanya) is now semiretired, letting the three kids run Placid Pools. “Mark’s been in the business since he was 15, that’s 17 years now; Tanya close to 20 years, and Amanda about 16 years. Amanda’s the general manager, Tanya’s accounts and Mark’s the general construction manager.” Amanda says they all rely on each other, have their own individual strengths and also depend on their great team. Placid won the SPASA Australia Environmental Award for their EcoPool system, which is now due to be installed as far away as Hawaii and Kuala Lumpur.
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37. Brett Blair from Jims Pool Care brought 48 franchisees from around Australia to the show. “They’ve flown in for our annual conference and we always make a point to get along to SPLASH! every two years. The guys love it and we’re very impressed by this year’s event. It’s really moved up a notch. And there’s a lot of innovation and new technology which is exciting for our guys – especially automation and app development, which seems to be a big space at the moment. And as our guys are mobile, we’re interested in anything that makes the work easier.” 38. Michael Sessler, business development VP of Magen EcoEnergy, manufacturer of Heliocol solar pool heating products, says it’s interesting to see how SPLASH! has grown with a greater presence of global brands. “And Aussie people, it’s nice to do business with them, they’re smiling all the time, and have a very good sense of humour, so we like to come here every year.” A full interview will appear in a forthcoming issue of SPLASH! and online. 39. Derek Prince from Daisy Pool Covers found the new venue excellent. “It feels like a proper show: high ceiling, one
hall, good layout. We’ve been preparing for this for the past eight months, and now we’ve been run off our feet. We say there’s really only one show to go to, it’s the industry show, it happens every two years – make it there! Our customers came from country WA, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania – actually from every state including Northern Territory.” Prince wanted to explain to the customers about their recently modified, increased and rationalised range. “We’ve changed the range names, so it’s great to be able to stand in front of people and explain it to them. We’ve also increased the warranty to 10 years.” 40. Rohan London of Sunlover Heating likes the new venue and says the numbers have been excellent. “The quality of the stands has definitely improved too – we’ve got to keep up with the competition! Our new alloy heat pump has been getting a lot of attention; it’s the ‘Miele’ if you like of heat pumps. It’s friendly on the eye and instead of the air coming out the front, it’s passing through the sides. Air circulation is a massive issue with heat pumps, so now you can put it down beside the house and expel the air out the sides and the top.”
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41. Wednesday morning saw a trip out to SeaWorld to observe the incredible hydraulics behind the Shark Bay facility. 42. Demonstrating the quick drying swimsuit action at the Dry Togs stand. 43. Gary Pogharian, maintenance director at Yas Waterworld, was attending his first SPLASH! event in Australia. “I loved SPLASH! in Singapore last year and I love it here,” he says. “I really enjoy the conference and meeting people, not just the people in the presentations but the people I meet in the expo. I pick up a lot of information that I take and use it when I go back home.” A full interview will appear in a forthcoming issue of SPLASH! and online. 44. David Brauer from OzoneSwim (with John Morrison) split his stand into residential and commercial sections and added moving water movement for a dynamic element. “The commercial ozone and UV solution got a lot of interest from owner operators, while the uptake of residential OzoneSwim was fantastic as well. And it was great to see our dealers from around Australia and also New Zealand.” 45. Rohan Beasley (centre) from Pool Water Products was very impressed with the show. “Walking in yesterday and coming through those doors, I was so proud of the industry. I’m sincere about that. The place was humming, there was a good vibe. I’m proud of the industry and proud of you guys for putting it on. It really showcases the supplier side of the industry – look at the calibre of the displays and the effort people have put into it. It augurs well for the industry in general. And the numbers have been really good. We’ve been trying to get quality builders to establish a network around the country for our Paramount infloor cleaning systems, and this is obviously a good venue for doing that.”
46. Debbi Cormack from Spa Electrics says they’ve had a lot of interest in their new Iris remote which works with the MultiPlus, so you can touch to change the colours or run colour shows like sunsets. Now you can also dim the multi-coloured lights. It’s suitable for new pools or retros. “This show’s been fabulous,” she says. “We’ve been very busy.”
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47. Underwater cycles at the Cixi Chunhui stand. 48. Craig Nimmo from CSN Global (seen here with Gio Fantin and retired industry legend, Warwick Heathcote) was displaying his new Ultrazone UVC/ozone spa sanitiser, which they are shipping to the US and Europe. “The end result is that it gets rid of chloramines as well as killing 99.95 per cent of nasties, plus the ozone converts to a hydroxyl free radical which burns up the dissolved solids and breaks up the chloramines, so you end up with super clean water that’s odourfree. We love this new venue, it’s a more professional and there’s been so many people I’ve just about lost my voice!” 49. Michael Turner, international business development VP of Neptune Benson, was attending his second SPLASH! event, having come to the Gold Coast for the 2012 show. “We’ve looked at this trade show as being a real key component to our business strategy in Australia,” he says. “And I like the new venue.” A full interview will appear in a forthcoming issue of SPLASH! and online. 50. Carl Voshege from Remco says it’s nice to talk to the trade for a change, instead of consumers. “You feel like you’re covering a bit more ground. Good new venue too. We have our new turbo SwimJet on show here, a high powered version of our existing product. The new system has an output of about 4300lpm which is two or three times a normal swim jet on the market.” The SwimJet is seen here with Eliza Voshege.
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51. ET Chan, the Singaporean author of A Guide to Swimming Pool Maintenance and Filtration Systems, attended SPLASH! as a guest of Maytronics. “I came to SPLASH! to see if anything new was happening in the swimming pool industry and I met many people from all over the world and made many new friends here. It was time well spent.” 52. Michael Kettlewell from the Blue Glass Pebble Company says that while the company had a change of ownership recently, nothing has changed operational and everything was going very well. “We’ve more than doubled our product range in the past six months to include several more colours of NZ pebble and also several more colours of glass and glow-in-the-dark glass, which is brand new – we only received our first shipment of it last week. This is an important show because it would take forever and a lot of money to go and visit all the clients who’ve come from New Zealand, China, Brazil and all over Australia.” 53. Continental Water is the Australian Speck agent, handling the Badu jets, filters and the full range of swimming pool products. “We have a new light that shows up inside your skimmer basket,” says John Winstanley. “First time here, never been seen before. So you can see how clean or dirty it is. We’ve also got a range of filters we’re making in South Africa and a new cleaner.” 54. The Life Floor’s resilience was tested by Dan Wade dropping an egg on it, and watching it remain intact. 55. Peter Caretti from Nymet Australia was demonstrating the SplashMe variable speed drive that can be attached to a pool pump. “It’s mainly designed to retrofit into existing pool systems, so if you’ve got a single phase pump and you want to save energy, you plumb it into our plug-and-play system.” An app then controls the pump and shows the power consumption. 56. Spiros Dassakis CEO of SPASA NSW & ACT says interest in training is becoming more prevalent and more people are recognising its value. “A number of the sessions here highlighted what the people know, what they don’t know, and what they want to learn. I think it’s something industry should continue to support and attend. It’s a good show. The venue’s very good, and speaking to the exhibitors they were very happy.” 57. Chew Soo Ngee from the Malaysian Swimming Pool Association and Asiapools returned to SPLASH! on the Gold Coast for the first time in many years. “I came to have a look, meet some old associates and see what’s new. This venue is better; it’s the biggest I’ve seen in Australia. All the big players are here. It’s good.” 58. Lindsay Hartshorne from Lincoln Pool Products says it was 200 per cent better than the previous venue. “Wider aisles, more people, the higher roof, more stands. The whole thing just works a treat.” 59. Melbourne pool industry product designers and engineers Simon Andresen and Marc Fraser from Mano Design came to see what’s emerging with new technology. “It’s good to catch up with some people we know in the industry and the info sessions were very 50
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good: especially the ones on the subscription economy, social media and energy efficient products. It was quite beneficial, getting the info from the people in the know.” 60. Adrian Hart from SPASA Queensland updated SPLASH! on the de-incorporation. “It will have to go to our members for a final vote, which I anticipate will be in November of this year, and after that we’ll have one month to finalise all the paperwork with the Office of Fair Trading in Queensland. So, from the beginning of 2017, members in Queensland will be invoiced for their renewals from the office of SPASA Australia, and we’ll continue to operate as a state branch office. I think this show has been an excellent opportunity for the industry to come together at one location and it’s been a fantastic opportunity for the state SPASAs to meet and help us progress our discussions.”
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61. Tammy Morton from Play Rope came to her first SPLASH! to promote their fun equipment such as splash pads, aquatic playgrounds and climbing walls. “Being the biggest in the aquatic industry we hoped it would open some new doors for us, and it did: local government primarily from Queensland but also a few from Victoria and New South Wales.”
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62. Louise Willemsen from Para Mobility says there’s a need in the community for disability equipment, especially in swimming pools. “We found heaps of interest in our products, and quality enquiry on both days. People who are here for the disability conference came here to see things such as our removable stairs, and said that’s exactly what they needed, which is great.”
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63. Adrian Fella, Timuana Fella and Clarinda Blackmore from Pelican Waters Poolside enjoyed their first SPLASH! “We’ve had a great time, getting new leads, talking to new people, finding out new information, and lots of freebies. Got a nice bag from BioGuard as well, and a few good coffees.” 64. Ross Palmer popped in to say hello to a few people. “I’m really happy to be here,” he says. “I’m thinking a lot and looking at possibilities for the future. The only thing you get from looking back is a sore neck!” 65. Chris Rehm from Davey (not shown) says he was really happy with the show. “We had a lot of traffic on the stand, there were a lot more exhibitors and a far more professional look. We got multiple leads out of it and the scanning system we hired through the events coordinators helped us gather that information.” 66. Dan Kelly from Luxapool says they came to SPLASH! to try and get their name out there a bit more. “We’ve had a great response, we’ve had more than 50 enquiries just today and there’s been people from all over the world: New Zealand, Sri Lanka and all over Australia.” 67. For less than $300, Skimmer Lids can create integrated childproof lids that conform to the standards and have proper ventilation. They can be made from any stone or material used around the pool. Gary Steele says they’re even putting the pool builder’s logo on them. “It’s the first time a pool builder can actually brand their pools.”
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68. Alex Antoniou (left) from NSPF was running the CPO certification and CPO instructor courses, giving a seminar on customer satisfaction to a full room of 50 people, and promoting the NSPF educational offerings. Regarding the merger between NSPF and APSP, he says a consultancy firm has now been hired to recommend moving forward with the merger. “How long it takes will depend on the change administrator – it could be six months or a year. Time will tell. I think it’s a positive move as there is a lot of duplicated effort and we could create more efficiencies.” 69. Alvin Crosby from Aqua Pools and Spas in Auckland came across “the ditch” to see what new ideas are around so he can be more creative. “Loved the show. Saw a lot of new technologies in water treatment, and caught up with a few old mates. It’s well worth it.” 70. Paul Calendar from Queensland One Homes has only been building pools for a year. “I loved it. Very impressed, I didn’t think it would be anything like this. I was impressed with the different range of things and all the different suppliers.” 71. Peter Moore from Sunrise Pools says the layout is a lot better in the new show. “All the people here seem to be having a good show. I just wanted to see what’s happening with gear and equipment and see what’s new. I always find a few little things. It’s been good.” 72. Geoff Hall works on the water side at Davey Water Products and was at the show to take some of the bigger dealers around. “I found the show exceptionally interesting. A lot of suppliers and a lot of innovation.” David White from the Pump House also says it is interesting to see a lot of the new technology that’s coming out. 73. Darren Waight from Barwon Pool Shop in Geelong enjoyed the trade show. “It’s been brilliant. Lots of knowledge on show and everyone’s represented. 74. Adrian Burke from Quest Industries says he was surprised by how large the show was. “SPLASH! does a fantastic job setting up this show.” 75. Adrian Lacy of Australian Spa Parts and Peter Hogg from Magnum Filters share a laugh together. “The trade show was a huge success for us,” says Lacy. “We were non-stop both days and it was fantastic in the new venue with everyone in the one hall.” Hogg says the show had a much better feel than before. “It’s more like Lyon – nice and spacious, the stands are much better, and it’s much bigger. Plenty of space for people to sit around. We’ll definitely be coming again.”
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SPASA Australia National Awards of Excellence
Enkipools gained gold for best in-ground spa
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he 2016 SPASA Australia National Awards of Excellence were held with great fanfare at Jupiters Ballroom at the SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show. The highly coveted award of National Pool of the Year went to Aquarius Pools from Victoria for their innovative elevated lap pool featuring a series of windows into the home. The Retailer of the Year award went to Poolside Shoalhaven from New South Wales, while the In-Ground Spa of the Year went to Enkipools from Victoria. Product of the Year went to national supplier AstralPool Australia for their Viron Connect Wireless Gateway, while the Sustainable Product of the Year went to Placid Pools from Queensland for their Eco Splash. n
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Award Pools Group won the water feature gold
Placid Pools won both the sustainable project and the sustainable product awards
The Awards
Retailer of the Year Poolside Shoalhaven Supplier of the Year Gold: Zodiac; Silver: AstralPool; Bronze: Austral Pool Solutions Spa of the Year Gold: Enkipools Renovation residential up to $25,000 Gold: Aqualon Interiors; Silver: Adelaide Classic Pools; Bronze: Award Pools Group Renovation Residential Over $25,000 Gold: Daydream Pools; Silver: Award Pools Group; Bronze: Quality Dolphin Pools Renovation – Commercial Gold: Commercial Aquatic Australia; Silver: South Pacific Pools Education & Training Excellence Award Gold: Jagun Pools & Landscapes; Silver: BioLab; Bronze: Aquatic Leisure Technologies Marketing Campaign of the Year Gold: PoolWerx; Silver: Factory Pools Industry Trade Representative of the Year Gold: Alistair Ross – Pool Controls
Rising Star Award Gold: Josephine Goonan – Urban Oasis; Silver: Paul Cutri – The Pool Shop, Floreat Retail Salesperson of the Year Gold: Donna Harvey – Poolside Shoalhaven; Silver: Ross Starkey – Rainwise; Bronze: Kylie Rojahn – Atlantis Pool Services Pool & Spa Service Technician of the Year Gold: Paul Rojahn – Paul’s Poolcare; Silver: Ben Reynolds – The Pool & Spa Shop; Bronze: Adam Camilleri – Pristine Pool & Spa Service Residential Fibreglass Pool – Up to $40,000 Gold: Rainwise; Silver: Sapphire Pools; Bronze: Coastline Pools & Spas Residential Fibreglass Pool $40,000 – $ 60,000 Gold: Gordon Avenue Pools & Spas; Silver: Riverscape Landscaping & Pools; Bronze: Capital Fibreglass Pools Residential Fibreglass Pool – Over $60,000 Gold: Narellan Pools – Geelong; Silver: Barrier Reef Pools Perth; Bronze: Compass Pools SEQ Residential Vinyl Lined In-ground pool Gold: Poolscape Pools; Silver: Aqualon Interiors; Bronze: Albatross Swimming Pools Residential Pre-Engineered Vinyl Lined Pool Gold: Classic Pools Qld; Silver: Albatross Swimming Pools; Bronze: Classic Pools & Spas SA Residential Pre-Engineered Portable Spa Gold: Just Spas WA; Silver: Australian Outdoor Living SA; Bronze: Just Spas (Spa Industries) Residential In-ground Spa Gold: Enkipools; Silver: Urban Oasis; Bronze: Just Spas WA Spa Retailer of the Year Gold: Endless Spas; Silver: Five Star Spas; Bronze: Just Spas WA Water Feature Gold: Award Pools Group; Silver: Reflections Pool & Spa Care; Bronze: Urban Oasis Residential Pool & Spa Combination Gold: Nautilus Pools; Silver: Polar Pools; Bronze: Quality Dolphin Pools Innovative Pool and/or Spa Pool Systems Gold: Aquarius Pools; Silver: Majestic Pools & Landscapes; Bronze: Leader Landscaping & Pools Residential Concrete Pools – Up to $50,000 Gold: Seaspray Pools; Silver: Majestic Pools & Landscapes; Bronze: Dynamic Pool Designs Residential Concrete Pools – $50,000 to $100,000 Gold: Good Soil & Water; Silver: Boardwalk Pools; Bronze: Urban Escape Landscapes & Pools Residential Concrete Pools – Over $100,000 Gold: Out From The Blue; Silver: Majestic Pools & Landscapes; Bronze: Award Pools Group Residential Enclosed/Indoor Pool Gold: Showpiece Pools; Silver: Urban Oasis; Bronze: Boardwalk Pools Residential Courtyard/Plunge Pool BioGuard Poolside Gold: Serenity Pools; Silver: Norfolk Pools; Bronze: Boardwalk Pools
Lap Pool Gold: Aquarius Pools; Silver: Elite Pools; Bronze: Majestic Pools & Landscapes Pool Landscape Design of the Year Gold: Neptune Swimming Pools; Silver: Majestic Pools & Landscapes; Bronze: Urban Oasis Lighting Feature Gold: Nautilus Pools; Silver: Award Pools Group Commercial Pool – Up to $250,000 Gold: L&V Project Pools; Silver: Aloha Pools; Bronze: Aquatic Developments Australia Commercial Pool – Over $250,000 Gold: L&V Project Pools; Silver: Neptune Swimming Pools; Bronze: Commercial Aquatics Australia Display Pool/Centre Gold: Albatross Swimming Pools; Silver: Freedom Pools; Bronze: Urban Oasis Pool Store of the Year Gold: Poolside Shoalhaven; Silver: Warner Pool & Spa Centre; Bronze: The Pool & Spa Shop – Edwardstown Pool & Spa Service Business of the Year Gold: Poolside Dural Poolsmart; Silver: Commercial Aquatics Australia Product of the Year Gold: AstralPool Australia – Viron Connect Wireless Gateway; Silver: Spa Electrics – GK Tri Colour LED Light; Bronze: BioLab – BioGuard MSA Extreme Sustainable Project of the Year Gold: Placid Pools – Sustainable Natural Swimming Pool; Silver: Supreme Heating – Bold Park Aquatic Centre Project; Bronze: Heliocol – Lameroo Public Pool Project Sustainable Product of the Year Gold: Placid Pools – Eco Splash; Silver: Pentair Water – Enviro Max 1100 Variable Speeed Pool Pump; Bronze: Supreme Heating – Heat Seeker Maxi Solar Pool Heating National Pool of the Year went to Aquarius Pools
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New Zealand swimming pool photo awards
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he New Zealand Master Pool Builders Guild (NZMPB) has unveiled the winners of their 2016/2017 swimming pool photo competition. Carlos Morgan of Morgan Pools dominated the competition with three golds and three silver medals. n
The results are:
Residential 1 (Pools under $50k) Gold medal: Ron Dixon, Cascade Pools Auckland Silver medal: Julian Ogden, Cascade Pools Auckland Bronze medal: Larry Ogden, Cascade Pools Auckland Residential 2 (Pools $50k to $100k) Gold medal: Paul Fuller, Acacia Pools & Landscaping Silver medal: Carlos Morgan, Morgan Pools Bronze medal: Paul Fuller, Acacia Pools & Landscaping
Ron Dixon from Cascade Pools Auckland won gold for the under $50,000 category
Paul Fuller of Acacia Pool and Spa Taurang won gold for the $50,000 to $100,000 category
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Residential 3 (Pools over $100k) Gold medal: Carlos Morgan, Morgan Pools Silver medal: Carlos Morgan, Morgan Pools Bronze medal: Paul Fuller; Acacia Pools & Landscaping Commercial Pools Gold medal: Alvin Crosby, Acqua Pools & Spas Silver medal: Carlos Morgan, Morgan Pools Bronze medal: Julian Ogden, Cascade Pools Auckland Environmental swimming pool settings Gold medal: Carlos Morgan, Morgan Pools Silver medal: Paul Fuller, Acacia Pools & Landscaping Bronze medal: Alvin Crosby, Acqua Pools & Spas Best swimming pool refurbishment Gold medal: Carlos Morgan, Morgan Pools Silver medal: Kerry Richmond, Auckland Inground Pools Bronze medal: Andrew Newitt, PoolCo Cascade Tauranga Medal Count Gold: Carlos Morgan (3); Ron Dixon (1); Paul Fuller (1); Alvin Crosby (1) Silver: Carlos Morgan (3); Julian Ogden (1); Paul Fuller (1); Kerry Richmond (1) Bronze: Paul Fuller (2); Larry Ogden (1); Julian Ogden (1); Alvin Crosby (1); Andrew Newitt (1) The competition was judged by six independent judges and the results checked and certified by the competition organiser .
Alvin Crosby of Acqua Pool and Spa won the commercial category for his on-board pool
Carlos Morgan of Morgan Pools won the environmental setting category
For the full list of entries and winners, complete with images go to www.poolguild.org.nz.
Celebrating 30 years in the Australian Spa & Pool industry www.magnumfilters.com
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Carlos Morgan of Morgan Pools won the prestigious over 100,000 category for this pool
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Metallic home and reflective water ABOVE: The striking home is both framed by and reflected in the pool RIGHT: The rooms lead off a central atrium BELOW: The white granite that surrounds the pool is also used for the exterior walls BOTTOM: The sleek minimalist architecture is offset by the surrounding trees
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he strong metallic lines of this stunning minimalist home are offset and softened by the large pool of blue water, which is still in keeping with the overall geometric theme. Designed by renowned Spanish architect Fran Silvestre, the home and pool take advantage of the luxuriant gardens on the property, creating an unlikely, modernist sanctuary in the heart of the Madrid megalopolis. The home is dubbed the Aluminium House due to the use of brushed aluminium and its rigid horizontal nature. Its design both contrasts and blends with the tall trees of the surrounding environment.
October/November 2016
The substantially square plan is designed to unite the project in a compact way. The staircase and central inner atrium distribute the rooms, establishing a functional hierarchy in which all spaces open up to the garden. The scale of the house is moderated by the base emerging from the same natural white granite that paves the area around the swimming pool. Above, the raised zone offers expansive views over the pool to the north and south, while maintaining privacy from neighbours. The cantilevered overhang also provides shade for lounging by the tiled pool and enjoying the adjacent terrace. n
The Aluminium House Location: Madrid Architecture: Fran Silvestre Arquitectos Interior design: Alfaro Hofmann Principal in charge: Fran Silvestre Collaborating architects: Jordi Martínez, Fran Ayala, María Masià, María José Sáez, Ángel Fito, Adrian Mora, Estefanía Soriano, Pablo Camarasa, Sandra Insa, Santi Dueña I Ricardo Candela, David Sastre, Sevak Asatrián, Álvaro Olivares, Paloma Márquez, Mercedes Calderón, Eduardo Sancho, Esther Sanchís, Vicente Picó, Erika Angulo, Alba Monfort, Ruben March Structural engineer: David Gallardo, UPV Project manager: Orencio Peña (Serconex) Building engineer: Zacarias Gonzalez (Serconex) Photography: Diego Opazo Site area: 177,000 m2 Built area: 95,803 m2 Variated blue tiles create a deep, organic hue
Exterior finishes: Iron brushed aluminium and white granite
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feature
Enjoying the
outdoor room By Lyndall Keating
ABOVE: Structured gardens offer a chance to express your own personality RIGHT: Plants soften harsh edges, can be used as screening options, cool the area, add shade and are wonderful additions to any outdoor room
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e all love to have friends over for a barbecue, a casual drink or a poolside party. Our lifestyles move seamlessly between the indoors and outdoors and so do the definitions of how we use our domestic spaces. It’s only relatively recently that Australian architecture has started to take advantage of our environment. Often houses are now designed and orientated so that living areas open out towards the best aspect such as the outdoor pool area or water views, allowing our lifestyle to naturally spill out as well. The outdoor room is the intermediate space between the house and garden or pool. The outdoor room can be defined as a balcony space, deck or paved area; anywhere you can enjoy a morning coffee or a afternoon beer. Once you’ve identified your potential outdoor room take a moment to consider how you are going to use it. The type of activities that take place here will help
October/November 2016
you add structure and definition as well as complete your design. Are you entertaining? Want an extra play area for the kids? Or do you need a quiet get away when it all becomes a little too much. Defining the space may mean adding structure or taking advantage of the existing structure. This can be accomplished by adding walls, screens, plants or stone features. Outdoor furniture such as lounges or a dining setting are also important. Don’t forget the overhead space either: it can elongate or add scale, and if enclosed it can create a sense of intimacy. When designing your outdoor room, the house’s best attributes should be the starting inspiration. This may include your pool, garden, aspect, view or natural features. Do you want your outdoor room to capture the summer’s north-easterly breeze, hide from the southerly buster or create a private sanctuary away from peering
Dontek Solar Controllers neighbours? A careful consideration of aspect will greatly enhance your enjoyment of the space all year round. The money you spend on getting professional advice will be a saving in the long run, as the right plant selection and extra design tips could make all the difference. Some current trends include clusters of pots to separate areas. Try different scales and types to add texture and interest. Succulents are always a popular choice for the water-conscious or time-poor. They are hardy and thrive in hot and dry conditions. There are so many varieties, shapes and colours available and either mass planting or individual specimens are an exciting option. Think cacti for an individual architectural focus.
"A careful consideration of aspect will greatly enhance your enjoyment of the space all year round." Micro greens are another sensational choice. The delicate foliage looks great and enhances any brunch menu. The key points to remember are that plants soften harsh edges, can be used as screening options, cool the area, add shade and are a wonderful addition to any outdoor room. Finally, consider soft furnishings, artwork or designer lighting as a way to project your unique personality. This is a simple way to stay up-to-date with current trends, reflect the changing seasons or trial exciting new ideas. n Lyndall Keating is a Sydney horticulturist with more than two decades of plant knowledge, design creativity and experience in maintaining some of the world’s most beautiful gardens. She is one of the principals of Garden Society (gardensociety.com.au).
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commercial news
ASSA holds first conference at SPLASH! news Commercial
Global news . . . . . . . . . 64 Underwater robots shoot the Olympics. . . . . . . . . 64 Tenders. . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Coroner calls for greater oversight. . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Blue lagoon turns Bintan into adventure island. . 66 Rio’s embarrassing green pool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
ABOVE RIGHT: Professor Robyn Jorgensen (centre, between Laurie Lawrence and Ross Gage) accepting the Steedman on the occasion of her induction into the Australian Swim Schools Hall of Fame’s Science section
T
he Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA) held its inaugural conference on the Gold Coast during SPLASH! week. CEO Ross Gage says the conference was a resounding success and the feedback throughout the week was exceptional. “A common sentiment was that the swim school industry finally having its own conference was a long time coming,” he says. Industry stalwart Chris Dellit says he has been attending conferences for 35 years and this one was the best. “It was great to see some ‘old’ industry friends like Pat Taylor and so glad to see finally that so many swim schools are teaching from the heart within a child-centred environment,” says Dellit. Three overseas presenters headed the bill: Frank Sahlein and Erin Seal-Grande from the USA, and Canada’s Sharron Crowley. Seal-Grande – who was sponsored by SPLASH! – espoused world’s best practice in teaching people with disability. ASSA received favourable feedback for holding the conference over one working week, covering
the business side of swim schools as well as incorporating the teaching of babies and toddlers and inclusive swimming. “Additionally, having access to the SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade show was another huge bonus,” says Gage. “It allowed delegates to further network and look into potential pool equipment for their swim schools.” During the conference, ASSA inducted the first Inductees into the Australian Swim Schools Hall of Fame at the ASSA Awards Dinner. The initial inductions were in the Tier 2 level and the recipients were: Bernie Shapland, Professor Robyn Jorgensen, Paul Sadler of Swimland and Julie Zancanaro. Each inductee was presented with a “Steedman”, named in honour of Charles Steedman who published the world’s first book on swimming in Melbourne in 1865 The top tier in the Australian Swim Schools Hall of Fame is known as the Legends. Legends have made exceptional contributions over many years. The first inductees were Forbes and Ursula Carlile. The other inductee at the Awards Dinner was Laurie Lawrence. The Legends received a “Forbes” – in memory of the remarkable Forbes Carlile MBE. Libby Trickett OAM, John Konrads and Laurie Lawrence joined ASSA President David Urquhart in making the presentations. The event was a resounding success, attended by more than 120 swim schools and supporters. ASSA also helped organise the Swim Disability Conference as part of SPLASH! n
Waterparks
Perth latest city in line for an Urbnsurf park The Perth-based Wave Park Group has announced a formal proposal to the City of Melville in Perth to redevelop a 4.4 hectare site located at Tompkins Park, Alfred Cove into a world-class surfing destination. This is the third planned Urbnsurf park following similar proposals for Sydney and Melbourne. Located just nine kilometres south of the Perth CBD, and situated on the banks of the Swan River, the proposed site is situated in a 22 hectare sports and recreation precinct that currently caters to multiple field sports. “Perth is blessed with a number of idyllic beaches, but the surf quality at those beach-
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es is often poor, with overcrowding in the line-up also becoming an increasing issue,” says Wave Park Group executive chairman Andrew Ross. Ross says the development will generate more than 300 jobs during the construction phase, and another 45 full time positions will be created in the surf park and its additional facilities, as well as injecting more than $250 million in gross economic contribution to the Perth region over the project life. If a lease for the site is awarded, it is anticipated that a development application would be lodged early 2017 and that development activity could commence in late 2017, with the first riders taking to the waves in late 2018.
commercial news
Awards
Hornsby offers best service Hornsby Aquatic and Leisure Centre has won the Roejen Customer Service Team of the Year Award at the recent 2016 Aquatic and Recreation Institute Awards. The state awards were announced at a recent aquatics industry conference. Hornsby Shire Mayor Steve Russell says he is thrilled that Hornsby has become the first recipient of the award. “Since opening in August 2014 the team has worked very hard to make our aquatic centre a fun and safe place and I congratulate them on their professionalism.”
The judges looked at all aspects of customer interaction across the centre including learn to swim, squad, aqua, fitness, recreational swimming, gymnasium, child minding and reception. “From day one we have focussed staff on ensuring every visitor feels welcome. It’s a simple approach but it works. We have also partnered with Cancer Council, HeartKids and Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Womens Shelter and created some fun events. These have been a great way for patrons and staff to raise funds and feel part of their local community,” he says.
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for it’s water saving capacity Mayor Steve Russell (left) presents award to Hornsby Aquatic & Leisure Centre manager Scott Hewitt
In Brief More than 300 swim schools across Australia offered thousands of free swimming lessons for children under five during the third Learn to Swim Week (LSW) held recently . Poolwerx research found 53 per cent of parents in Australia don’t think their pre-school aged child has the necessary water skills to get themselves out of trouble if they fell into a backyard pool, but 35 per cent don’t take their child to swimming lessons, citing “lack of money” (43 per cent), my child is too young (36 per cent) and “no time” (24 per cent) . The study also found 81 percent think swimming lessons are compulsory in school but LSW ambassador Laurie Lawrence says they’re not . “It’s up to parents to make sure their child learns water safety skills .” However, demand for specialist infant swim instruction across Victoria has led to an unprecedented uptake in Jump! Swim School franchises with 57 sites awaiting DAs in that state . Victoria has the largest growth for the Queensland-based company with an additional 20 interstate franchises operating in NSW, ACT, SA, WA and Queensland . A new board has been elected for Swim Australia: Christian Urry (State Swim WA, SA, Vic); Johnathon Russell (Paul Sadler Swimland, Vic); Nancy Shaw (Holsworthy Aquatic Centre, NSW); Simon Watkins (MLC Aquatic, NSW); and Sally McKitrick (Genesis Aquatic, Qld) .
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For more information Contact Peter Rabbige on 0407 078 075 www.zelbrite.com
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commercial news
Setting up the underwater robotic cameras
Global news A horrific accident on the world’s tallest waterslide saw the death of a 10 year old boy . The accident occurred on the Verruckt slide at Schlitterbahn, Kansas, USA . The 51 metre waterslide is the tallest in the world, with raft speed exceeding 100 kph . The opening of the waterslide was delayed twice in 2014 due to safety issues discovered during testing . Twitter comments on the Schlitterbahn feed suggest that some patrons previously had problems with the safety harnesses on the Verruckt ride, and some patrons have also discussed this problem with US TV stations . The Verruckt is closed for the rest of the season . At least 20 public swimming pools in Phoenix Arizona have been found to contain water harbouring the microscopic parasite cryptosporidium . Maricopa County officials have said that the highly contagious parasite has infected and sickened more than 100 people since August 4 . If the water is swallowed, infected swimmers can suffer stomach cramps, vomiting and fever for up to two weeks . In rare instances such as in case of immunocompromised people, it can be lethal . Young children and pregnant women can also be at risk . Cryptosporidium is a resistant to chlorine but UV disinfection is generally effective in controlling it .
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Media
Underwater robots shoot the Olympics Global news agency AFP used 20 robotic cameras to capture the excitement of the Rio Olympics. A pioneer in the use of subaquatic robots, AFP has been a leader in underwater photography since
the 2004 Athens Olympics. At Rio their robotic arsenal included three underwater cameras for the swimming events, along with 30 remote controlled cameras offering multiple shooting angles.
LGA
Tenders These and other tenders are put online prior to the print magazine publishing. Be sure to Like the SPLASH! Facebook page or Follow SPLASH! on Twitter to keep alerted to new tenders, and for quick access to more information. Greater Hume Shire Council Holbrook Swimming Pool and Filtration Plant Upgrade • Tender Number: TL 06-2016-2017 The small learner’s pool, balance tank and filtration plant & equipment will be replaced with a pool to meet modern standards, including wet deck and new reticulation . The new 33-metre pool will have a new access ramp for the disabled integrated with the works on the northern side of the pool . The new 33m pool will retain the current 1m dive board and be 3 .3m depth under the board as per the regulations for a 1m dive pool . Total concourse replacement is required including appropriate pipework and drainage . Closing: 12 .00pm, 17 October 2016 .
• Further information and documentation: www .greaterhume .nsw .gov .au; (02) 6036 0100
Moreton Bay Regional Council Ferny Hills Learn-to-Swim Pool Renewal • Request for Tender: Tender Code MBRC005716 Contractors are invited to tender for the construction of a new heated indoor program pool at Ferny Hills Aquatic Centre, Ferny Hills . Works include demolition of the existing learn-to-swim pool and all works associated with construction of the new program pool . • Closing: 2 .00pm, Tuesday 18 October 2016 . • Documents available for download: www .lgtenderbox .com .au
commercial news
Safety
Coroner calls for new pool body In finding the 2014 drowning death of Paul Rayudu in the WaterMarc aquatic centre was avoidable, Coroner Audrey Jamieson has called for the Victorian Government to establish central oversight of public swimming pools. She also criticised the ratio of 1 lifeguard to 100 swimmers after a testifying lifeguard told the inquest it was insufficient and promoted in swimmers a false sense of security. In her findings, the coroner described the lack of central oversight and regulation of public swimming pools in Victoria as “concerning”. She also found that Rayudu was not being supervised by lifeguards at the time he drowned. However, once they were aware of the incident they professionally implemented their training. Indian national Rayudu, 23, drowned in February 2014 at the WaterMarc aquatic centre in Greensborough, Melbourne. Neither he nor his girlfriend Virajitha Kelangi were good swimmers but Kelangi said they felt safe as long as their feet were touching the floor, and a boom separated the shallow end from the deep end. They swam in a part of the pool where the water was up to Rayudu’s shoulders and Kelangi’s chin. At around 7:10pm the boom that separated the shallow part of the pool from the deep section was moved, allowing a drop-off from the shallow end into the deeper water. Kelangi was found face-down by patrons at approximately 7:30pm, near the drop-off. No lifeguards were nearby. At about the same time, patrons saw Rayudu at the bottom of the pool. He was pulled from the pool and CPR was commenced. Both were rushed to hospital. Rayudu was resuscitated but was found to have extensive brain damage. His condition worsened over the week and he was found to have negligible chance of meaningful recovery. After consultation with his family he was removed from resuscitation equipment and died. Kelangi recovered fully. The coroner found Kelangi could not swim and Rayudu could barely swim. She said the pool was not adequately supervised. A testifying lifeguard said that supervising 100 swimmers per lifeguard was a “ridiculously high” ratio. At the time of the incident, one lifeguard estimated there were between 500 and 1000 patrons in the centre, including those on dry land. However the duty manager believed there were only about 300 people in the aquatic area, and about 50 in the 50m pool. The lack of certainty about the numbers was a cause of concern for the coroner. Some testifying patrons said the pool appeared to be short staffed. The Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations (GSPO) developed by Royal Life Saving Australia recommends one lifeguard focussed on the water for every 100 patrons in the water. However, the lifeguards were fulfilling other duties such as moving and stabilising the boom and making PA announcements. Depth signs were believed to comply with regulations. The duty manager has said WaterMarc will now lock the boom and not move it during busy periods. Other changes implemented at the aquatic centre include increased signage, updating supervision guidelines and a review of the incident report, as well as a system for counting the number of patrons entering and leaving the centre. The coroner found the changes made by WaterMarc management company Belgravia Leisure are welcome, but she is concerned that the lack of a central body might not affect other similarly appropriate changes in other public pools.
R-410A
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Commercial Feature
Blue lagoon turns Bintan into adventure island
A
short ferry ride from Singapore is the Indonesian island of Bintan. Twenty-five years ago, Bintan was developed as a resort getaway for the burgeoning Singaporean middle class and as a convention destination. In fact, attendees at SPLASH! Asia in 2011 may remember it as the venue for the expo golf day, when a boatload of exhibitors and visitors played the picturesque seaside links of Bintan Lagoon Resort. Now the island is undergoing a rejuvenation which includes exciting new developments and will soon boast a brand new, centrally located airport. The biggest and most exciting of these new additions is the $3 billion Treasure Bay development, a series of resorts being built around a giant 6.3 hectare manmade Crystal lagoon. Eventually there will be 1700 rooms plus health spas, sporting facilities and wellness research academies. Phase One of Treasure Bay features the Canopi Resort which offers luxury camping (known as glamping) and an opportunity for family relaxation that is both active and fun. Crystal Lagoons Oceania director German Rocca says that the addition of a lagoon to a development is more economical and more attractive than traditional features such as a golf course. “Normal amenities provided in real estate developments or resorts are golf courses, tennis courts or parks. A lagoon is cheaper to build and manage and is more attractive. And it also brings the family together,” says Rocca. For example, he says a lagoon is more likely to be enjoyed by the whole family than a golf course, where one member might play golf and then spend time at the bar while the rest of the family finds something else to do. The revitalised island is set to attract a wider range of guests, and the lagoon is likely to play a part in bringing people across the Singapore Straight. And when the new airport is built, it will be even easier for international travellers to enjoy an elongated stop-over on the long haul flight from Australia to Europe. The first thing you notice when seeing the lagoon, night or day, is the startling blue colour of the water. Rocca says this is a critical aspect of the concept. “When people imagine an aquatic playground, they imagine the idyllic Caribbean blue. That’s the colour they want.”
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Aquatic activities
The lagoon has a wide range of adrenaline pumping activities such as cable skiing and wakeboarding; Jetovator riding – where you actually fly above the pool via powered water jets; and underwater scootering. Swimming, windsurfing, sailing and paddle-boarding are also available. A total of 117,600 cubic metres of sea-water was required to fill the lagoon which is fringed by sandy beaches. Rocca says lagoons create a valuable point of difference in the highly competitive South East Asian tourism market, making it possible to live the idyllic beach lifestyle anywhere in the world, irrespective of issues with sea life and other waterborne hazards. “This is a first not only for Indonesia but for South East Asia,” he says. “We were able to add further value to the tourism proposition through the application of our revolutionary technology which has created a unique leisure-centric destination that appeals to a global audience, catering for the young and old.” Bintan has the first Crystal lagoon built in the region but another is due to be built in Cairns next year. Rocca says the success of the Treasure Bay project provides pointers to what can be achieved in Australia. “As well as being a cost-effective build and operational model that enables tourism destinations to work towards meeting long term sustainability goals, the Crystal lagoon appeals to a broad audience, captivating families, children and the elderly in a way that other amenities such as a golf course do not. “Whether the lagoon is in a tourism setting or a residential setting, it offers a social gathering place for the people who live there or visit,” he says. “From a developer perspective it delivers a real point of difference that gives them a marketing edge and the prospect of higher return on investment given the premium on waterfront property. Crystal Lagoons is the only company in the world with the technological capability to develop man-made lagoons of unlimited size, at very low construction and maintenance costs.” There are more than 400 projects in various stages of development in 60 countries, with 15 offices around the world including one in Sydney, opened earlier this year.
Water control
The lagoons can operate with any kind of source water: fresh, salt or brackish. Crystal Lagoons’ solution differs from traditional filtration systems by applying a
Contact: Canopi: adventureglamping.com Crystal Lagoons: www.crystal-lagoons.com Treasure Bay: www.treasurebaybintan.com Botanica: www.urbansync.com.au The Jetovator is a thrilling ride for guests and visitors October/November 2016  SPLASH!  67
Commercial Feature
LEFT. Luxury campers have the lagoon right by their door RIGHT. There is a wide variety of ways for families to enjoy the lagoon
combination of different ultrasonic waves to the water in the lagoon, which allows contaminant particles to collect into larger particles that are easily removed from the system. They say this method consumes only two per cent of the energy of a conventional swimming pool’s centralised filtration system. It also requires as little as two per cent of the chemicals that traditional pool cleaning systems require.
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The disinfection is injected into the water in amounts and locations dictated by the data, generated by sensors located throughout the pool. The whole thing is controlled through a water monitoring system “in the cloud”. Physically, while the water is not “turned over” as such it is filtered by sweepers operating from small pontoons and boats. They are connected by hoses to pumps that send the water back for filtration at the plant room. The water is then returned to the pool in different locations.
This directed filtration activity is more intensely carried out in the morning, evening and other times when the pool is less used. However, this system is due to be replaced by a robotic system that will be used for the Cairns project. There will be no boats or pontoons, only GPS controlled robots comprehensively sweeping the lagoon floor. The status of the water is remotely monitored and adjusted via the injection of chemical disinfectant, or where necessary by directing on-site staff. “We are monitoring the water 24/7, because our commitment is to deliver crystal clear water forever,” says Rocca. Crystal Lagoons don’t actually build the lagoons. They plan the construction with developers, and set up the water control system and monitor it. “Our business model is quite different,” says Rocca. “What we do is show the local developer how to build the lagoon. The first one that Fernando Fischmann built in Chile had concrete all around it, with 90-degree walls, but that was so expensive. To lower the cost of design we are always moving the design in a smarter way.” The smarter way involves creating the lagoon using earthworks, then installing a 2mm liner. This is far less expensive than building large concrete structures. The average cost is $US500,000 per hectare, and Crystal Lagoons also charge a $5000 monthly fee to monitor the water. The Bintan lagoon has 1.4 kilometres of beach area around its circumference. Eventually, when the other resorts and hotels are completed, each of them will have their own dedicated beach area. “We work closely with the real estate developer or resort owner to design the best lagoon for them,” says Rocca.
One of the principles that keeps the construction costs down is limiting the amount of pre-formed concrete. “Sometimes they say they want an island in the middle and we say, okay, but that’s going to cost you,” he says. “What we’re doing is removing all the extra costs, compared to a golf course for example. With a golf course you have to use 20 hectares of land, but also, you have to build the whole golf course at once, and that’s a lot of money all at once with no return. This way you can use a tenth of that amount and have a huge attraction to bring people together. Like here, they built the glamping as the first stage, and now they’re building new things.” In Bintan seawater is used as the source water, but the water can be sourced from town water or from bores, as they’ve done in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, where they’ve used subterranean water that is highly mineralised, but is treated by their proprietary system before filling the lagoon.
First Australian project
Next year, construction is due to begin on a 2.2 hectare lagoon in the Cairns suburb of Caravonica, as part of a new 1000-home Botanica residential development. The lagoon will extend 700 metres through the centre of the development and allow the majority of apartments, townhouses and villas in the $200 million master-planned community to enjoy a waterfront location where residents can swim and sail in a safe environment. The precinct will also feature a beach club, restaurants and cafes, walking trails, tennis courts, sporting fields, commercial space and eight kilometres of landscaped gardens. Tree planting has already begun on the 32-hectare site.
Phone 02 96048396 Info@hydrocarepools.com.au www.hydrocarepools.com.au
Splash Show Stand No 158 October/November 2016 SPLASH!
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Commercial Feature
Cairns was chosen in part because swimming in the ocean is sometimes restricted to beaches with stinger enclosures because of the irukandji and box jellyfish. “Botanica will provide year-round swimming and water sports without anybody having to worry about the dangers,” says Rocca. “For residential developments like in Cairns, the construction costs for the lagoon and the maintenance costs are more like having a park.
“When people imagine an aquatic playground, they imagine the idyllic Caribbean blue. That’s the colour they want.” MAIN: The Botanica development is due to commence construction in Cairns next year BELOW: Early morning, and the boat is already out cleaning the lagoon. In future, GPS controlled robotic cleaners will replace the boats
But the differentiation is massive and you can raise the sales price and also the density and sales velocity.” Construction is due to finish in 2018. Rocca says that one method that can prove beneficial to residential developers and home owners is to spread the maintenance costs to every home. “This way, they will pay a Foxtel sized bill to have a waterfront house. And you’re bringing the whole family together.” n
Fischmann wins Stevie and Green Apple Awards Fernando Fischmann, the founder of Crystal Lagoons, has been named Innovator of the Year winning the coveted Gold Stevie Award for his work in addressing the global problem of water scarcity, while his desalination technology has won Innovation of the Year. The Stevie Awards are considered the Oscars of the business world. Fischmann will receive his awards at a gala ceremony in Rome in October. Meanwhile, he also picked up a Green Apple Award for his sustainable cooling technology by the international Green Organisation. The Green Apple Award ceremony will take place in the House of Commons in London in November. The prestigious Stevie awards have been won previously by the world’s most influential business leaders and innovators, including Apple’s Steve Jobs, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Coca-Cola’s Kent Muhtar and Ford Motor Company’s Alan Mulally. Companies that have been awarded for innovation include IBM, Disney, AT&T and Coca-Cola. This year’s awards attracted more than 3800 nominations from 60 countries.
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commercial news
Competitors complained the pool “smelled like a fart”
Research
Lessons from the green embarrassment By Alan Lewis
Competitors in the water polo pool at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics were crying from stinging water and complaining of “fart smells”. It is clear the water had not been maintained correctly, and there is little doubt that the Olympic organisers should be seeking the best advice they can get. Transparency of the water is dependent on the transparency of the maintenance staff, and the speed of the correction is totally dependent on understanding the science of swimming pool water chemistry.
“The first lesson they can learn from this is that they should employ aquatic service people who are certified“ The first lesson they can learn from this is that they should employ aquatic service people who are certified, with successful careers in managing swimming pools. Above all, it is vital that these “experts” are familiar with swimming pool chemistry in every aspect.
Into the deep end
Diving pools are by necessity very deep. Often the circulation is not homogenous and can be plagued by plenty of “dead areas”. Outdoor pools are susceptible to the weather and outdoor diving pools are notoriously more difficult to manage than indoor pools. To add to these difficulties, algae spores are easily carried by the wind, which means algae spores inevitably end up in 72 SPLASH!
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most uncovered outdoor bodies of water. Rain also helps precipitate the spores. Knowing that algae spores are nearly always present in outdoor pools, it is imperative that pool maintenance personnel be familiar with the different varieties (green, black, yellow etc) and know how to deal with them. Good pool chemical companies are quick to advise and offer algaecides for each individual species of spores – making it reasonably easy to learn the specific solutions on offer. During the pool crisis in Rio, many unbelievable hypotheses were twittered all over the world as an embarrassed Mario Andrada called in an independent service to test the water and assured divers and polo players that, even though the water was a murky, stinky green, it would not affect the health of swimmers! This was an unbelievable supposition, totally illogical and born out of desperation. Eventually, after excruciating emotional pressures had run wild, a misguided service admitted that they had slug-dosed 80 litres of hydrogen peroxide (concentration unknown) in each of the pools. What happened then only baffled the staff even further. The water became a darker green, smelly and burned the eyes of the water polo swimmers. Meanwhile, the Chinese divers performed fearlessly and proved their prowess impervious to the unsavoury conditions.
What was happening? What was really happening was the following:
NaClO + H2O2 » NaCl + H2O + O2 ^ Sodium Hypochlorite + Hydrogen Peroxide » Salt (dissolved) + Water + Oxygen off-gas
Basically the two chemicals were “neutralising” one another (disinfection-wise) so that salt was the only chemical left in the water. Salt is not an algaecide and so, with a little help from rain during the first night, the algae spores in the diving pool very quickly sprouted under almost ideal conditions. Meanwhile in the water polo pool (2.75 million litres), the hydrogen peroxide was reacting more slowly, as were the algae spores. Hence the green colouration also developed more slowly. Quantitatively there would have been much more sodium hypochlorite in that larger pool to react with the H2O2, leaving more free chlorine (hypochlorous acid - HOCl) left after the reaction with the 80 litres of H2O2. The staff then chose the option of dumping all of the water in the water polo pool and replacing it with water from the practice pools which was still blue and acceptable for competitions. Under the circumstances this was a costly but satisfactory decision, because water polo players were swimming in that water for much longer periods than the divers were spending in the water. Because of this, it was mostly the water polo players who complained of stinging eyes.
Other factors not discussed 1. Stabiliser - Cyanuric Acid (CYA - C3)
It is well known that in hot climates such as Australia, UV radiation can be very severe. In swimming pools, radiation is the primary Below left: At first, only one pool changed colour but soon both the diving pool and the water polo pool turned green
cause of dissipation of active free chlorine which is the common disinfectant used in pools. To counteract this, the pool market offers several forms of the stabiliser CYA (also known as sun-screen) which actually captures the free chlorine and protects it (at least partly) from the UV rays. It is not clear whether the pools in question used CYA, but if they didn’t, it might explain why the chlorine tanks apparently ran empty in the middle of the competition, and more disinfectant supplies were needed. The use of CYA is quite complicated and care must be taken not to overdose. In this case we can only assume that it was not in use. For those who want to understand the use of CYA better, I recommend they read a learned paper by Richard Falk entitled The Chlorine/ Cyanuric Acid Relativity and Implications for Nitrogen Trichloride (available via a QuickLink at splashmagazine.com.au). In short it is advisable to use CYA in diving pools because a good portion of the pool is deep and the demand on chlorine will be much lower in the presence of CYA. 2. Algaecides and quatenary compounds
These are often used in outdoor pools as a preventative measure against algae attacks; particularly when the pool is not being used for long periods. Chlorine and bromine are both excellent algaecides in themselves and when bather loads are high at competition times, it is not uncommon to up the chlorine dose to ensure the water can handle both disinfection and control of organic growths of algae. However, in the case of deep outdoor diving pools, quaternary compounds would assist in controlling the development of algae outbreaks. These too have their limitations. Some foam a lot,
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When the pool is closed it is always best to have a pool blanket which protects the pool from falling leaves, dust, algae spores etc. Apart from anything else the blanket can save energy and retain the warmth of the pool in the cooler months.
4. Water balance: pH, alkalinity and calcium hardness
Proper chemical balance in every pool is essential so that the real job of disinfection can work efficiently. It should be clear that the lower the pH in the pool, the less chlorine will be needed to ensure good disinfection. The higher the pH level, the less effective the chlorine is as a disinfectant. However, if the alkalinity and the hardness are not kept in their proper ranges, then the more residuals will bounce up and down – leading to a greater expenditure on chemicals and a less pleasant pool for the swimmers.
Conclusion The water had to be entirely replaced in a process that took all night.
while others tend to destroy the chlorination/ bromination of the pool leaving it without disinfection. Care and experience is needed to ensure that the maintenance staff knows the limitations of each of these chemicals. Copper based algaecides often colour the water when mixed with chlorine or other chemicals. What is more important is that one has to be careful to ensure that the level of copper in the water is maintained low enough not to induce severe staining on the steps and walls of the pools. 3. Automatic pool cleaners and pool blankets
These can help keep pools cleaner and more pleasant while the reduction of organic matter in the pool will also reduce the demand on chlorine to keep the pool safe for bathers. During competition time the cleaner should be activated every night when the pool is closed to bathers. It is desirable that the cleaners are also capable of cleaning the walls and the water line stains. Failing that, the maintenance staff should spend considerable time brushing walls, floor, steps and gutters to ensure that no algae is developing in any part of the pool.
A poolside view At the Gold Coast expo, SPLASH! caught up with Michael Turner, international business development VP of Neptune Benson, and he explained how he had been at Rio during the Games and saw first-hand what was happening with the pools. “There were lots of challenges for FINA. From the reporting and from being there, I’d say there was a mismanagement of the water quality: they did not manage the pH of the water; they overdosed; they had an older filtration system,” he says. He points out that some of the competition pools were crystal clear – those built by Myrtha using Defender filtration and other modern equipment – but the ones that turned green were using older sand filtration.
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“Chemistry is not an exact science,” said the Olympic body’s official statement. “There is some imprecision in maintaining chemistry in a large body of water,” was the polite response from Tom Lachocki, the CEO of the USA’s National Swimming Pool Foundation. Tom also made the following comment: “The basic principles of maintaining disinfectant, proper pH, and circulation and filtration are scientifically sound and well established.” Clearly swimming pool maintenance is not for amateurs. No one can deny that pool water chemistry is nevertheless a demanding science, even though some scientists argue that preventing algae and green pools is really quite simple. The lessons learned are that, as simple as maintaining pools might seem, experience and science demand a wide knowledge of the subject. Without extensive knowledge things can go wrong very quickly. Hopefully I have delineated the basics that cannot and must not be overlooked at important events such as the Olympic spectacular enjoyed by the world every four years. Contact: aquazure34@gmail.com “They mismanaged the dosing of the chemicals and had no new technology managing it,” he says. He says that pH is the key. “We have to make sure the pH is the right level to maintain and disinfect the water. The pH was put out of balance, and then the algae was able to grow. I was there on the Friday when they drained the pools that were green and pumped in the ‘Defender’ clean water so they could use those pools for competition on the Saturday. It was an all-night process to do that.” He believes FINA won’t be using legacy systems in future. “They could have used legacy systems to hold the water, but they needed to have something to maintain the quality of clarity and disinfection.”
A U S T R A L I A N
CHOOLS
ASSOCIATION
Pool of Poolies UPDATE The Peak Industry Body for Swim Schools, the Australian Swim Schools Association Ltd (ASSA), has had a super productive past few months. The national Conference was a huge success; the Australian Swim Schools Hall of Fame was launched; Olympian and new mother Libby Trickett has come onboard as an Ambassador; AIS, Vorgee and OzoneSwim have signed on as Sponsors; partnerships have formed with 12 other industry suppliers; Strategic Alliances have been put in place with the Safer 3 Water Safety Foundation (USA) and the United States Swim Schools Association; the first learn to swim promotional poster has been developed; and the Board and Committees have been busy formulating policies, guidelines and programs. All very much the result of having a body uniquely, solely focused on Swim Schools. These actions, and many more to come, will result in many more safer swimmers enjoying Australia’s wonderful aquatic opportunities – including that great Aussie icon – the home pool.
If you’d like to become one of ASSA’s Pool of Poolies, supporting learn to swim and drowning prevention, please email our CEO at Ross.Gage@australianswimschools.org.au Be part of our mission to make more Aussies swimmers for life!
Australia Swim Schools Hall of Fame Congratulations to the inaugural Inductees. Legends 01: Forbes and Ursula Carlile Legend 02: Laurie Lawrence Pioneer: Bernie Shapland Science: Professor Robyn Jorgensen Humanitarian: Paul Sadler Swimland Outstanding Contribution: Julie Zancanaro ASSA congratulates SPLASH! on staging the inaugural International Swim Disability Conference during the SPLASH! Expo and Australian Swim Schools Conference. It was truly a world-class event, keynoted by the USA’s Erin Seal-Grande.
new products
Fully contained container pool
Queenslander Nigel Butcher is offering a simple but effective concept: putting a fibreglass pool and all its equipment inside a shipping container. These pools are simply craned onto a slab – or crushed rock for the smaller ones – so no digging is required, and in some instances they may not require fencing. They include pump, filter and a choice of sanitiser including MagnaPool. Swim jets systems and heating is also available. They cost from $19,900 for a 6m pool and $29,999 for a 12m pool. Contact: shippingcontainerpools.com.au
Flamed grey granite coping
Sareen Stone has a selection of natural stone tiles from around the world, supplying commercial projects and high end residential projects. Imported from Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Germany, Iran and India, their quality natural stone includes travertine, marble, limestone and sandstone for big and small projects, both commercial and residential. Their latest arrival, pictured here, is Atlantic grey granite flamed pool coping. Contact: www.sareenstone.com.au
The Dubai tag
Wibit’s DubaiTAG has been recently installed at the famous Jumeirah Beach Residence. The innovative structure is both a floating playground and a powerful means of advertising at the same time. Almost 100 modular Wibit components have been arranged into letters D-U-B-A-I, creating a giant water park of 77m length by 35m width that can hold 200 people at the one time. The custom-designed structure in turquoise and purple is shaped like the new Dubai tourism logo. From the bird’s perspective, the word “DUBAI” can be read in both English (left to right) and Arabic (right to left). Contact: www.wibitsports.com
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The brave outdoors
Amber’s new Italian Brave porcelain tiles collection is inspired by untamed nature. The full-bodied porcelain floor tiles evoke the true look of natural stone, but they’re easy to use and maintain. Brave’s surface designs mimic the natural environment so they’re the ideal complement for contemporary architecture. The larger-sized stoneware porcelain tiles are strong, durable
and characterised by subtle variations in colour and texture from piece to piece for a stylish aesthetic in multiple outdoor settings. Brave tiles faithfully reproduce five natural stone surfaces with rich veining, chromatic changes and fragments of other materials: Pearl, Earth, Gypsum, Grey and Coke. Contact: www.ambertiles.com.au
Fashion fire pit
Cool spring evenings can be easily warmed up with the architectural-inspired Element fire pit designed by Adam Goodrum for Tait. It is constructed of three interlocking blades of cantilevered mild steel, creating a sculptural icon to enhance any outdoor space. Its striking heat-resistant Pot Belly Black matte finish will continually mature and weather with age, delivering a unique rusted finish. Clever and functional, every detail has been carefully considered to ensure generated heat is kept away from ground surfaces, while it can be easily disassembled for transport and compact storage. This photography on location in Melbourne is by Haydn Cattach. Contact: www.madebytait.com.au
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new products
Super strong blowmoulded filter
The innoSphere from Poolrite by the Evolve Group is an ultra-lightweight and robust one-piece, seamless blow-moulded tank designed for maximum strength through patented technology. The polymer tank’s geodetic structure is architecturally influenced and creates a strong sphere design.
The new H2flo range
Newline Pool Products has announced the latest additions to its H2flo range of high quality Australian made pool equipment. Continuing on from the very well received H2flo premium salt water chlorinator, Newline has just released the VSP600 and VSP320 variable speed pump, SP 0.75/1.0/1.5 and 2.0hp pump, CF75/100/150/200 and 250 cartridge filter, CSF21/25/27 and 30� sand filter and the E25 & E35 chlorinator.
The tank uses a specifically designed closed loop, featuring a patented UV- and chemically stabilised polyethylene terephthalate (PET) liquid blow-moulding process.
Newline says the H2flo range of pool equipment has been specifically designed for Australian conditions and uses smart technology which is efficient, reliable and easy to operate.
Through this process, the polymer is influenced into aligning and stretching the individual fibres to resemble steel cable. According to Evolve, this forms the strongest pool filter material in the world, creating an outward strength that exceeds its own weight in steel two times over.
Contact: www.newlineproducts.com.au; 1300 677 100
Contact: www.poolrite.com; (07) 3283 1196
Kawana Chlorinator Spares
is an Australian Company manufacturing a large range of generic replacement cells for salt water chlorinators. We pride ourselves in using only the best quality anode material available on the market. Our fully equipped work shop can cater for anything from salt chlorinator spare parts to the development of new product by customer specifications. We manufacture all generic replacement cells and spare parts on site.
Introducing the Australian made K-Chlor Digital Gold Series Chlorinator. This Chlorinator has a robust design and comes with a 4 year warranty, pump protection, salt levels measurement and back wash function. Sizes range from 15 grams to a 100 grams unit. Give your business a boost use K-Chlor.
TRADE DISTRIBUTORS & POOL BUILDERS WELCOME 1/18 Textile Avenue, Warana, Queensland 4575 | (07) 5493 9039 | Email: kkawanac@bigpond.net.au
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Easy deck levelling
Silipints are made from 100 per cent food-grade silicone and are virtually unbreakable, can flex to fit almost anywhere and are easy to clean.
The award-winning Belgian-designed Buzon pedestals are now available in Australia. They can be used with pavers, timber decking and steel grating to create raised decks around pools as well as raised floors on balconies, terraces, green roofs, temporary floors and water features. They accommodate heights from 17mm to 1070mm, can conceal services and offer easy access for maintenance of waterproof membranes.
Being un-smashable, they are ideal for use around swimming pools. The varying sized cups are versatile as they insulate against both hot and cold temperatures. They can be used to bake in, serve dips, drink morning coffee, or for enjoying a poolside juice. Merchants, endusers and corporations have been taking advantage of the ability to customise unique screen-printing on the Silipints.
The Buzon pedestal incorporates a patented slope-correcting device, which compensates for a substrate fall of 0 to five per cent to provide a perfectly level floor finish. The interchangeable spacer tabs allow for 2mm, 3mm, 4.5mm, 6mm, 8mm and 10mm gaps between pavers, providing positive drainage and making uneven paving lines a thing of the past. They are capable of supporting up to 1000kg.
Contact: www.wowzaa.com.au; 0447 622 632
Contact: www.pasco.net.au
Pool-safe cups and tumblers
SMART PHOTOMETER SYSTEM®
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eXact iDip
The innovative eXact iDip® Smart Photometer System® is the ONLY photometer that uses 2 way communication with a smart device. With a customizable app; time and date stamp, shared results with GPS location the possibilities are endless. Try the smarter way to water test with our industry leading 30-day money back guarantee. *SmartPhone is not included in the kit. eXact iDip® and Smart Digital Water Testing® are registered trademark of Industrial Test Systems, Inc. Rock Hill, SC 29730 USA ©2016 AQUA0516 App Store is a service mark of Apple, Inc. “SAMSUNG” is a trademark of Samsung in the United States or other countries. Android and Google Play are service marks of Google, Inc. Facebook and Twitter are registered trademarks in the United States or other countries.
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new products
Next generation vacuum Pool System’s Tool Caddy is designed for the pool professional who needs to stay organised when transporting tools and materials to and from jobsites. The versatile caddy has multiple compartments to conveniently and safely carry chemicals, tools, test kit, cleaning equipment and other items. Built tough, it’s constructed from reinforced high density plastics and features a sturdy easy-grip handle for transporting.
Exclusive to Pool Systems, the Vektro next generation electric vacuum has powerful suction that extracts sand, gravel and other debris quickly, efficiently and with a minimum of effort. It operates both as a handheld for spot cleaning or attaches to a standard telescopic pole for spa or pool floor cleaning. The lightweight vacuum has a lithium ion rechargeable battery pack that powers a vacuum pump to create impressive suction without the need for hoses. Both are quick to recharge with operation for up to 90 minutes of continuous use.
Contact: 1300 366 020
Contact: www.poolsystems.com.au
Tool caddy
The Rack
Pool System’s new product, The Rack, is a compact and practical wall-mounted accessory storage solution that keeps the pool area neat and tidy. Highly functional, it features an organiser for up to four accessories, a telescopic pole holder, compact hose hanger and handy storage shelf. Contact: 1300 366 020
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
KIH1025/0811/SC KIH1025/0811/SC
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Innovation in rigid solar panels AquaSmart solar controller
AquaSmart is Dontek’s newest and most innovative solar controller range, comprising state-of-the-art technology. It is quick and easy to install, making customer handover is a breeze. The smart controller displays clear and simple information rather than confusing codes. Dontek says its large back lit LCD module, which can be easily seen in the bright of day or the dark of night, and its simple button layout makes it the most user friendly product of its kind. Features include a new multi-fit mounting bracket and robust industrial sensors offering the highest reliability and accuracy. AquaSmart is made and designed in Australia and has a three-year factory warranty. Contact: dontek.com.au
Chemical-safe access covers
Oil & Gas Technologies has supplied Fibrelite lightweight composite access covers as part of the redevelopment of the Auburn swimming centre. The covers will be used to gain easy access into various air conditioning pipes around the perimeter of the pools and also over balance tanks at the end of the pools. The main advantage of the Fibrelite covers is that they are chemically inert where there are levels of chlorine and other chemicals present. The covers have also been supplied in a contrasting colour to match the floor style. Contact: 1300 730 557; info@ oilgastechnologies.com
Australia’s Largest Stockist of Spare Parts for Spas & Swim Spas
Boss Solar pre-launched their new 100 per cent Australian made, rigid panel system at the SPLASH! Pool & Spa Show. The Rhino Solar is a flat-pack system with mix and match flexibility and has been specifically designed to withstand the harsh Australian climate. Engineered by the Boss Solar pool heating experts, it combines an innovative modular design with cutting edge PEX-b materials and MultiLayer technology. Other advantages include a 30-year manufacturer’s warranty, improved high and low temperature resistance, enhanced long term strength, resistance to rupture and extreme weather conditions, greater resistance to cockatoo and vermin attack, superior UV resistance, freeze crack resistance, superior impact strength, abrasion resistance and crack growth resistance and no long-term stress deformation, distortion or creep. Contact: www.bosssolar.com.au
Specializing in Leak Repair Since 1980
Please contact Jamie Fraser at: Aquaneo Pty Ltd Tel: 07 3408 1777 Cell: 0427 771 304 info@aquaneo.com.au
www.aquaneo.com.au spareparts@spaindustries.com.au www.spaandpoolpartsonline.com.au
w w w. f ix ale ak. co m Fix A Leak__SPLASH Ad.indd 1
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