How to plan maintenance like a capital project
By J. Ryan Casserly
Every aquatic professional knows the sinking feeling of a pool closure. Members are frustrated, schedules are disrupted, and budgets are drained by emergency fixes. Too often, maintenance is reactive, something done only when equipment fails.
What if leaders approached maintenance with the same discipline as that in a new build? A yearlong schedule, clear milestones, and budgets aligned with predictable needs—that is the philosophy behind AquatiCare, Landmark Aquatic’s proactive maintenance program. Instead of waiting for problems to arise, AquatiCare delivers a 12-month playbook that transforms maintenance from a liability into a strategic advantage.
The Cost Of Waiting Until It Breaks
Unplanned breakdowns hit facilities in three ways:
Direct costs are the result of expedited shipping, overtime labor, and premium emergency parts.
Indirect costs derive from lost member trust and disrupted schedules.
Lifecycle costs come from premature equipment failure caused by neglect or miscalibration.
One example: In benchmarking, a single weekend pool closure can cost $8,000 to $15,000 in refunds, lost programming, and overtime.