Diver Steve Royal repairs an underwater light fixture
The current drought, and signs of an unprecedented dry summer in parts of California, are bringing new solutions to common problems for swimming pool owners in southern California. One of those benefitting from the water restrictions are scuba divers, such as scuba diver Steve Royal.
Steve is a certified scuba diver and swimming pool technician for a swimming pool service company who has been using his underwater skills to make repairs to swimming pools which would otherwise need to be drained first. The repairs by Steve Royal and pool service owner Doug Beard don’t require an alteration of water levels, but rather the fix is made underwater, saving tens of thousands of gallons of water in the process. It’s a compromise that is taking place more often, even when it means paying an extra fee to hire a diver.
Here’s a look at a recent job he’s taken on at a senior living complex:
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“On this particular pool, we’re probably looking at 12-15,000 gallons of water. Some of them are going to be 20-30-40,000 gallons of water that’s just getting wasted to do a repair. Consumers are going to wind up paying that surcharge to refill it,” said Beard, a pool technician.
Whether it’s a tile repair, the need for drains to be worked on or filling cracks, many pool technicians cringe these days at the thought of throwing away water.
If you’re a diver looking for some work on the side, a pool maintenance company may have an opportunity for you!
Stills and Video courtesy CBS Los Angeles