Making Waves in Pool Safety - the West Mobile Baby Fish School
How WaterGuru Kept West Mobile Baby-Fish School Safe
In the heart of Mobile, Alabama, Lauren's passion for teaching infants life-saving swimming skills was put to the test daily – not just by the challenges of instructing babies, but by the constant battle to maintain safe pool conditions. West Mobile Baby Fish School, a year-round facility dedicated to infant and toddler swimming lessons, faced a unique set of challenges that threatened to sink their mission of creating confident, safe young swimmers.
The Deep End of Pool Management
Lauren grew up in a family of swimmers and coaches, so opening her own swim school seemed like a natural progression. She grew up working for her dad and teaching swim lessons when a few years ago discovered a self-rescue program for babies. She notes, “I had taught kids swimming my whole life, but never that young and never with teaching infants to save themselves. “
What she didn't anticipate was the constant worry over water chemistry that came with running an indoor pool facility catering to over 70 babies per day.
"We teach a lot of young children, including infants, and that is accompanied by a high fecal load that can quickly turn the pool unhealthy," Lauren explained. The constant cycle of infants and toddlers, each spending just ten minutes in the warm water, equating to six lessons per hour, created a perfect storm for rapidly changing pool conditions. On any given day, Baby Fish Swim School can have over 70 babies in the pool. That’s a serious human load on this body of water causing chlorine levels to continually fluctuate, sometimes dropping precipitously during these safety lessons. “We can’t be teaching safety lessons when the water itself becomes unsafe. Water quality had become the single biggest impact on running our business.”
John Bergoon, Lauren's husband, also the pool's defacto maintenance manager, found himself making frequent trips to manually test the water. "Previously, it was necessary for me to physically drive across town in the morning, before heading into the office for my real job, to check the chemistry levels. This was an unhelpful distraction from my day job in the tech industry," John recounted. "Other Ames, Lauren would call me in the middle of the day reporting a problem, and I'd have to run over there to decipher what's going on."
The consequences of this constant water chemistry battle were severe. Occasionally, the school had to close due to unhealthy pool conditions, risking reputation and the safety of their young students. Lauren recalled distressing incidents: "We've had to close the pool several Ames last year when accidents occurred from leaky diapers."
A Lifeline Thrown: Enter WaterGuru SENSE
Just when Lauren and John felt they were drowning in pool maintenance woes, they discovered WaterGuru SENSE. This AI-powered pool health monitor promised to transform their approach to water quality management.
The installation of WaterGuru SENSE marked a turning point for West Mobile Baby Fish School. John's eyes lit up as he described the change: "Since installing the SENSE, I closely monitor the chemicals from the WaterGuru app on my phone, get alerts when the chemicals are beginning to fall out of balance, and when needed, respond quickly by rebalancing the chemicals, and even before arriving on-site, turning the pumps on remotely. It's been a game changer remotely monitoring the pool conditions from anywhere, and getting precise chemical dosing advice within the WaterGuru mobile app."
Riding the Wave of Success
The impact of WaterGuru SENSE was immediate and far-reaching. Gone were the days of unexpected pool closures and frantic mid-day trips to check water chemistry. The system's ability to automate chemical testing and monitor pump flow – set by John to take measurements at 4 AM, noon, and 3PM provides a comprehensive picture of the pool's health throughout the day. No longer is the water quality a mystery, and the SENSE has helped avoid costly downtime, enhancing the school’s reputation as a safe pool for teaching.
Lauren noticed a significant improvement in the learning environment. "If the chlorine is too high, or the pH is off, it impacts both our instructors and their small students, with off-gassing making the indoor air quality uncomfortable, impacting the instructor’s ability to teach. Now, we can prevent these issues before they start."
For John, the change was personal. "I've reclaimed my life," he said with a smile. "Now, unless the WaterGuru SENSE tells me I need to do something, I go straight home after work and relax. I no longer head into the office worrying about what's transpiring miles away at Baby Fish swim school."
The benefits extended beyond just convenience. The school maintained its stellar reputation for safety, avoiding costly pool downtime and associated health risks. The indoor air quality improved, creating a more comfortable environment for both staff and students.
Keeping Their Heads Above Water
Today, West Mobile Baby Fish School is thriving by focusing on their true passion – teaching life saving swimming skills to infants and toddlers. Lauren beams with pride as she describes their impact: "What we do, it's very rewarding. We make so many great relationships with these families that are long-lasting."
Thanks to WaterGuru SENSE, Lauren, John, and their team can dedicate their energy to nurturing these relationships and skills, rather than worrying about negative impact by unhealthy water chemistry. As John puts it, "It's no longer about working hard, but working smart."
In the end, WaterGuru didn't just solve a pool maintenance problem; it helped a passionate team continue their mission of creating a safer world for young swimmers, one baby at a time.
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