Building Trust With Water Quality

When homeowners step outside and look at their swimming pool, they aren’t thinking about pumps, plumbing, or automation panels mounted on the equipment pad. What they see first is the water. Is it clear? Does it sparkle in the sunlight? Does it look inviting enough that they want to jump in right away? That moment of visual clarity is often the single most powerful signal homeowners receive about how well their pool is being cared for.

For pool professionals, that clarity represents the culmination of everything happening behind the scenes. Filtration systems are removing debris and particles, sanitizers are keeping the water safe, and balanced chemistry is protecting both swimmers and equipment. When those elements work together properly, the result is water that looks effortless — even though maintaining it requires skill and attention.

Yann Morvan, Product Line Leader for Smart Water Quality at Pentair Pool, believes water clarity ultimately becomes the defining measure of a service professional’s work.

“Water quality is essentially the signature of a pool professional’s work,” Morvan said. “It’s the most visible — or sometimes invisible — proof of their craftsmanship. If the water is always perfect every time a homeowner steps outside, that builds deep trust.”

That trust has a direct impact on customer relationships. When water quality is consistent, homeowners stop worrying about their pool and simply enjoy it. But when water turns cloudy or chemistry slips out of balance, confidence can erode quickly.

“Cloudy or unbalanced water is often the number one reason clients switch service providers,” Morvan said. “So the stakes are real.”

The Elements That Create Perfect Water Quality

Clarity Is Only the Beginning

When Pentair talks about “perfect water,” Morvan explains that the concept extends far beyond visual clarity. While homeowners may judge their pool primarily by appearance, the reality is that water quality is the result of multiple systems working in harmony.

“Perfect water is really an orchestra of different elements all working together,” Morvan said.

Clarity may be the most obvious indicator, but it only reflects what’s happening deeper within the system. Balanced chemistry plays a critical role, ensuring that pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and stabilizer levels remain within the proper range. Those factors protect pool surfaces and equipment while also helping sanitizers work effectively.

“You’ve got balance — the pH, the alkalinity, the calcium hardness, the CYA — all working together to protect both swimmers and the equipment,” Morvan said.

Sanitization: The Invisible Layer

The final component of healthy pool water is sanitization, which ensures the water remains safe for swimmers. Most pools rely on chlorine to eliminate contaminants, bacteria, and organic waste introduced through regular use.

“And then you’ve got sanitization — the invisible layer, typically chlorine, that makes the water genuinely safe,” Morvan said.

When clarity, balance, and sanitization are all working together, the difference becomes immediately noticeable.

“You get what I’d describe as a resort pool experience,” Morvan said. “That silky feel. No harsh smell. Water that just invites you in.”

If any one of those elements drifts out of balance, the experience begins to break down.

“The water might look dull, smell off, or worse — become unsafe,” he said.

Understanding Saltwater Pools

Debunking the “Chlorine-Free” Myth

Advances in pool technology have made it easier to maintain consistent water quality. One of the biggest changes over the past decade has been the widespread adoption of salt chlorine generators. Today, more than seventy percent of new inground pools in the United States are installed with salt systems.

Despite their popularity, Morvan says misconceptions about saltwater pools remain common.

“The biggest misconception we see is that salt pools are chlorine-free,” Morvan said. “That’s completely false.”

Saltwater pools still rely on chlorine to sanitize the water. The difference lies in how that chlorine is introduced into the system.

“Salt systems produce chlorine on-site from the dissolved salt in the water rather than requiring you to manually add tablets or liquid chlorine,” Morvan explained.

Instead of periodic spikes caused by adding chemicals, salt systems generate chlorine continuously.

“A salt system microdoses constantly,” Morvan said. “That gives you a much more stable chlorine level around the clock.”

How Salty Is a Salt Pool?

Another common misunderstanding involves the salt concentration itself. Many homeowners assume saltwater pools resemble ocean water. In reality, the difference is dramatic.

“A properly maintained saltwater pool runs at around 3,500 parts per million of salt,” Morvan said. “The ocean sits at roughly 35,000 parts per million.”

At those levels, most swimmers can’t even taste the salt.

“What people notice instead is that the water feels softer and more comfortable,” he said.

Salt systems reduce the need for manual chlorine additions, but Morvan cautions that they still require attention.

“Salt systems dramatically reduce maintenance, but they are not maintenance-free,” he said. “You still need to monitor pH, monitor salt levels, and eventually replace the cell.”

A Chlorine Factory Built Into the Pool

How Salt Chlorination Works

Salt chlorination works through a process known as electrolysis. Salt — sodium chloride — is dissolved directly into the pool water. As the water circulates through the plumbing system, it passes through a salt cell containing electrically charged plates.

“The salt cell has titanium blades coated with a special compound,” Morvan explained. “When electricity passes through those blades, it separates the chlorine from the sodium, and once it’s done sanitizing, it converts back into salt,” Morvan said. “So it’s essentially a closed loop.”

Because the salt is recycled during the process, it rarely needs to be replaced except when diluted through splash-out, backwashing, or heavy rainfall.

Designed With Service Pros in Mind

Easier Repairs Through Modular Design

Recent improvements in salt chlorine generators have focused heavily on making the equipment easier to service. Feedback from builders and technicians played a major role in the redesign of Pentair’s IntelliChlor units.

“Builders and service professionals told us they wanted equipment that fit the realities of the pad and the service call,” Morvan said.

One major improvement is the modular electronics design.

“The electronics module now clips on and off,” Morvan said. “If there’s an issue, you replace just that component instead of the whole cell.”

Improved Sensors and Diagnostics

Sensor technology has also been upgraded. The new sensor module measures temperature, water flow, and salinity simultaneously, providing more accurate information to technicians.

“The salinity reading is now about 98 percent as accurate as a lab-grade tester,” Morvan said.

The system also includes more than twenty diagnostic codes visible directly on the display, helping technicians identify problems quickly.

“The unit can tell you whether the issue is the cell, the power center, or the automation connection,” Morvan said.

Importantly, the redesign also simplifies upgrades.

“The new cell is a 100 percent drop-in replacement for existing IntelliChlor installations,” Morvan said.

Filtration Still Plays a Critical Role

Pleatco Technology Joins the Lineup

While sanitization keeps water safe, filtration removes the particles that cause water to appear cloudy. According to Morvan, the two systems must work in tandem to maintain consistent clarity.

“Sanitization and filtration really have to work together,” he said.

Pentair recently expanded its filtration lineup through the addition of Pleatco cartridge technology, which is now included in Pentair cartridge filters.

“Pleatco cartridges are now standard across Pentair’s cartridge filter lineup,” Morvan said.

Improved Flow and Debris Capture

Pleatco cartridges incorporate several design features intended to improve filtration efficiency. PurePleat technology keeps pleats evenly spaced, maintaining filtration surface area over time. Point-bonded filter media distributes debris capture across the entire cartridge surface, helping extend cleaning intervals.

Another design improvement focuses on water flow. Pleatco’s free-flow core maximizes the space water travels through, reducing pressure and improving overall system efficiency.

The Future of Pool Water Management

Moving Toward Predictive Care

Looking ahead, Morvan believes the pool industry is moving toward a more proactive approach to water management powered by connected technology and automation.

“The vision for predictive care is continuous monitoring of key parameters like pH, ORP, temperature, salinity, and flow,” Morvan said.

Sensors and automation systems can track those variables in real time, allowing the system to make small adjustments before conditions drift into problematic ranges.

“You’re not responding to cloudy water,” Morvan said. “You’re preventing the conditions that cause cloudy water.”

Automation also allows service professionals to monitor pools remotely and identify potential issues early.

“It’s almost like shifting from being a pool cleaner to being a water quality analyst,” Morvan said.

For Morvan, the goal remains simple: helping pool professionals deliver consistently great water.

“Water quality is not just a technical outcome,” Morvan said. “It’s an experience you deliver to your clients — and it’s the foundation of everything they think about your business.”

Ready to take a deeper dive?

Listen to our entire conversation with Yann Morvan on the Pool Magazine Podcast.