ARTICLES Archives - Water Shapes

Water for Peace and Prosperity

The UN’s annual report summarizing global water-related challenges paints a complex picture characterized by increasing demand for long-term planning and policy-making across governments, industry and science worldwide. ...

For the Love of Sea Turtles

Are sea turtles medicine? To survive, sea turtles need our help and are the perfect group of animals for Wildlife Conservation Therapy, which helps us in return, explained the late Wallace J. Nichols in this widely read essay on the importance of sea turtles. ...

Finding Hope in ‘The Clothes They Wore’

The National Drowning Prevention Alliance has launched a new drowning prevention campaign created to draw attention to the random nature of child drowning incidents – the leading cause of death for children 1-to-4 years old – most of which happen when kids are not wearing a bathing suit. ...

I Wish You Water: Celebrating the Legacy of Wallace J. Nichols

World Blue Mind Day is observed on July 23rd each year to recognize the emotional benefits of spending time near, in, on, or under healthy bodies of water. When the concept’s founder, Wallace J. Nichols passed away this past June, he left behind profound contributions to our understanding of the human connection to water. Blue Mind is his lasting legacy. ...

Square Roots & Cross Purposes

Tailoring pool designs that marry the clients’ desires with the setting is always top-of-mind for Joan Roca. Here, he describes a project on the Florida coast that stands as a perfect example of his design approach. In this case, he turned to a basic shape and a host of custom details, to create a watershape that offers function, and a striking centerpiece that unifies house, land and sea. ...

The Misguided Push to Eliminate Natural Gas from California’s Backyards

Legislative moves to prohibit natural gas from backyards in California is badly misguided, argues Scott Cohen. While reducing carbon emissions is a valid objective, he says, trying to do so by eliminating natural gas-driven amenities does little to help the environment while stabbing at the heart of the state’s renown outdoor lifestyle. ...

Theme Ships Ahoy

Given that ships and shipwrecks are inherently tied to water, it only makes sense that interactive, ship-themed splashpad water features are a natural fit, for ocean enthusiasts and landlopers alike. Here’s a look inside the popular interactive-fountain genre. ...

WU Launches New Student Experience Portal

Watershapes University is proud to announce a new user portal platform now available for all existing and future WU students. This new user experience consolidates multiple functions and databases into one, easy-to-use portal with a single sign-on that facilitates enrolling in live and online courses, and receiving certifications for course completions. It’s a useful tool that will help WU students access the education they need to reach their full potential. ...

Waterparks From the Start

In 2022, waterpark operations legend, Billy Hamilton, was inducted into the World Waterpark Association Hall of Fame, honored for his pioneering work maintaining water quality on a mass scale. Here he shares his story with an eye toward the innovative spirit and experimentation that put him on the forefront of the industry’s most complex and challenging commercial facilities. ...

Water Tech Introduces Precision V10 Cordless, Hoseless Cleaner

Water Tech Corp has announced its Water Tech Precision V10—an enhanced version of Water Tech’s popular Precision 2.0 Pool Cleaner. According to the manufacturer, the cleaner provides a convenient, high-power cordless and hose–free cleaning that pool professionals can rely on, with enhanced features to improve the speed and quality of pool cleaning. The Precision V10 now offers a Shallow Water Adapter attachment, enabling it to better clean shallow areas like steps and sun shelves. Learn more here.