There's a slow train's coming...

[Oly]

...here in CA at least and it's just around the bend.
Pool owners who rely on a "pool service" are walking on the tracks unaware of the impending impact.
Summer is just beginning with fuel prices already around $6/gal, minimum wage ranging from $14-16+, employees scarce with unprecedented high turnover rates, already pool chemical shortages with prices soaring and water restrictions that limit draining/refilling inevitable, the impact will be sudden and severe.

My neighbor stopped by to tell me his pool man is quitting (has quit) because his business model does not work any more for the reasons above and after raising his prices three times in the last 18 months which is making customers, like my neighbor protest.

My neighbor's pool is green/brown already after only two weeks of no service and many years of trichlor and shock. He wanted to know what I was doing.
I started at the test kit and finished with a tour of the SWCG system.
I could see his eyes rolling back into his head despite my assuring him it's not as complicated as it appears. He is scouting out a new pool service already and I let him know what he was up against with the rising prices and rising demand. I also told him that he should expect to drain and refill very soon. I also told him that if he could not get a pool service out in two days to contact me and we will visit Home Depot for some FC until he can develop a plan of attack. Not to worry, I will pull him from the track without damaging our relationship but it is clear he will not invest the time to DIY his pool. Hold on.... my phone's ringing and he's on the line......to be continued....

 

[an1vrsy]

Good luck with that. Maybe he’ll come around to the light.

 

[splashpad]

I have happily convinced 5 people this year alone!

a couple are already here and a third is waiting on the pool to be setup

 

[JoyfulNoise]

With Lake Powell bone dry and Lake Mead so low they’re finding the dead bodies of old gangster’s from the 1950’s, CA is about to get walloped with cut-backs in Colorado River allotments …. and they just killed a desalination project in Huntington Beach as well as a new reservoir project in the Sacramento area … good luck filling those pools

 

[Oly]

So we test his water FC 0 (no surprise), CA 500+ (stopped test), CYA 200+ (did not dilute a 2nd time). Time to drain and refill before it becomes a crime. The pool is only 10,000 gallons so he has that going for him. He's 80+, retired professional and loves his pool. I offer my pool to swim while we get his situated, he says nah, I like to swim nekked. I laughed and said I do too, but not at the same time. The train rolls on.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Any RO in your area? It’ll still require the use of 2000 gallons of fill water but that’s gotta get you less time in San Quentin than a full pool …

 

[Mdragger88]

So we test his water FC 0 (no surprise), CA 500+ (stopped test), CYA 200+ (did not dilute a 2nd time). Time to drain and refill before it becomes a crime. The pool is only 10,000 gallons so he has that going for him. He's 80+, retired professional and loves his pool. I offer my pool to swim while we get his situated, he says nah, I like to swim nekked. I laughed and said I do too, but not at the same time. The train rolls on.

Is he a walking skin infection? Wowzers 200+

 

[proavia]

Last week, my brother - who live in Rancho Cucamonga (SoCal) - told me that his water company advised that all their residential customers have to reduce water usage by 30% starting June 1st. His CH was 800+ and I advised him to drain/refill ASAP - before restrictions go into effect. He finished that little (22,000 gallon) project late last week. He has a SWG and is now all re-balanced. He will be looking into some type of water softener for his autofill - and hopefully I convinced him to get a good test kit, register here and use PoolMath. Not too sure he will do any of the last three, but it's up to him now.

He said the area parks and golf courses probably didn't get the same water reduction mandate.

In my mind, 30% is a big reduction. But California didn't bother to plan ahead for a water shortage and now many must pay the price.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

…

He said the area parks and golf courses probably didn't get the same water reduction mandate.

In my mind, 30% is a big reduction. But California didn't bother to plan ahead for a water shortage and now many must pay the price.

You’re right, commercial customers never get put on restrictions. Playing a round of golf is considered an essential business activity to the regulators …

And a 30% reduction on a typical family of four using 8CCF per month (around 50 gals/person/day) would mean 15 gallons of water not used … so I guess no one will be taking showers in his household

 

[AndyTN]

With Lake Powell bone dry and Lake Mead so low they’re finding the dead bodies of old gangster’s from the 1950’s, CA is about to get walloped with cut-backs in Colorado River allotments …. and they just killed a desalination project in Huntington Beach as well as a new reservoir project in the Sacramento area … good luck filling those pools

Seems like a good time to start talking about a water pipeline from the Mississippi River to Lake Mead. The MS River has approximately 100 trillion gallons per year and diverting only 1% would be enough to fill up Lake Mead to capacity in 3-6 years. You could also have a lot of fresh water to establish forests in the desert southwest for all the carbon capture people. Less flooding in spring along the MS would also be appreciated.

 

[Mdragger88]

Seems like a good time to start talking about a water pipeline from the Mississippi River to Lake Mead. The MS River has approximately 100 trillion gallons per year and diverting only 1% would be enough to fill up Lake Mead to capacity in 3-6 years. You could also have a lot of fresh water to establish forests in the desert southwest for all the carbon capture people. Less flooding in spring along the MS would also be appreciated.

That would involve the Army Corps of Engineers working with other entities- not sure how that would go

 

[Lineman7]

I wish Taylor Technologies had a ticker symbol. I'd be buying some stock.

 

[dfwnoob]

My brother lives up in Indiana and a guy he works with just installed a nice 25k gal pool. He was also suckered in to buying an Ozone generator and UV system. They're filling it up this week. I told my brother to refer the guy to us here so we can take care of him and make sure his pool is balanced right from go. He tells my brother "are you kidding? I got this pool to relax, I'm about to retire. I'm paying someone to come take care of it."

Some people don't learn. Or like to learn the hard way.

 

[jark87]

and they just killed a desalination project in Huntington Beach

I’ve often wondered why desalination isn’t more popular. Is it the cost? The earth is more than 70% water, so water shortages seem baffling.

 

[mknauss]

Is it the cost?

No, its California. NIMBY.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

I’ve often wondered why desalination isn’t more popular. Is it the cost? The earth is more than 70% water, so water shortages seem baffling.

No, its California. NIMBY.

Well, yes and no.

Desalination requires energy. You either use distillation (heat and pressure) to remove the minerals in water or you use reverse osmosis (mechanical energy). Both of those are energy intensive processes and, it’s California, so they already don’t have enough energy to go around. Also, desalination plants are built in coastal areas. Once the fresh water is created it has to be transported. Anytime you have to physically move water more than a hundred miles or higher than a few thousand feet, the costs skyrocket. So, at the end of the day, desalination water is probably the most expensive form of water you can utilize.

The Aussies have some very cool desalination tech based on the use of wave energy to power the desalination process BUT you still have to transport the water which adds up fast.

About the only place on the planet that makes sense to desalinate is in the Middle East where oil is cheap and plentiful and there’s no other sources of water to begin with.

 

[mknauss]

About the only place on the planet that makes sense to desalinate is in the Middle East

The camp we lived in had two water systems. Sweet water, which was water from the desalination plant, and raw water, which was not good.

The desal plant used the waste heat from the electrical generation plant which ran on natural gas. Lots of excess natural gas there.

 

[KJB1]

Seems like a good time to start talking about a water pipeline from the Mississippi River to Lake Mead. The MS River has approximately 100 trillion gallons per year and diverting only 1% would be enough to fill up Lake Mead to capacity in 3-6 years. You could also have a lot of fresh water to establish forests in the desert southwest for all the carbon capture people. Less flooding in spring along the MS would also be appreciated.

That would require a plan. CA is not good at that. They want to spend the money now! There is no water shortage, it is the location of people vs the fresh water.
A pool is a water saver with good maintenance vs a huge lawn.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

The camp we lived in had two water systems. Sweet water, which was water from the desalination plant, and raw water, which was not good.

The desal plant used the waste heat from the electrical generation plant which ran on natural gas. Lots of excess natural gas there.

Oh I bet. Cogeneration energy schemes and waste energy recovery are great ways to power desalination. The oil well gas is just going to get burned off anyway so you might as well use it for something!!

What leaves me shaking my head in the California case is that the other side, let’s just call them “arborial embracers”, killed the project but offered no solutions of their own … well, no reasonable solutions. That’s my beef with all these NIMBY environmentalist types - they’re all about being against something but never once offer any realistic solutions of their own. Their challenges ought to be thrown out of court unless they come prepared with viable alternatives. When asked how California would deal with the water crisis their answer was …. “a mix of conservation and efficiency solutions …” Riiiiiiight …. so we’ll all just stop taking showers and install composting toilets in our homes

Thankfully I no longer live there among the lunatics running the asylum ….

 

[AndyTN]

That would require a plan. CA is not good at that.

My idea avoids that part because the CO River doesn't touch California until after Lake Mead. Other states could make a fortune charging CA to deliver water to their doorstep. I am able to do a complete water exchange of 26,000 gallons for approx $150. I could sell you that same water for $400 and we would both win.