Aquarius: Smart pool controllers and the future of pool management

The proposed revision of Australia’s pool water quality standard, DR AS 3633:2026 Residential and Public Pools – Water Quality, represents a significant step forward for the aquatic industry. Moving beyond traditional water testing and chemical dosing, the draft standard places greater emphasis on automation, monitoring, performance verification and record keeping. This shift highlights the growing importance of smart control systems in maintaining safe, efficient and compliant pool operations.

Modern controllers such as the Aquarius ULTIMA SP26 are designed to do far more than simply control chlorine and pH. They serve as the central management platform for an entire pool treatment system, bringing together water quality monitoring, chemical control, filtration, safety systems and reporting into one integrated solution.

The draft standard promotes a performance-based approach to water treatment and recognises the role of automated systems in delivering consistent water quality. Continuous monitoring, alarm management, dose inhibition, equipment interlocks and system validation are all areas where intelligent controllers can play a critical role.

The Aquarius ULTIMA SP26 can continuously monitor and control key parameters including:

• Free chlorine
• Total chlorine
• pH
• ORP
• Temperature
• Conductivity
• Flow
• Water level
• Filter pressure

Using this information, the controller automatically adjusts dosing systems to maintain optimum water quality while reducing chemical waste, manual intervention and operational risk. A key theme within the proposed standard is the use of a multi-barrier treatment strategy. Modern aquatic facilities increasingly utilise technologies such as UV disinfection, ozone generation, Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP) and hydrogen peroxide treatment alongside conventional chlorination.

The ULTIMA SP26 provides a central platform capable of integrating and managing these technologies as part of a coordinated treatment approach. Beyond water chemistry, the controller can also manage filtration systems, monitor flow conditions, automate backwash sequences, control pumps and provide critical safety interlocks. This enables operators to manage the entire treatment process rather than individual pieces of equipment.

Another important focus of the draft standard is documentation and verification. Pool operators are expected to maintain records of testing, alarms, corrective actions and system performance. Smart controllers simplify this process through continuous data logging and automated reporting. Historical records can be reviewed to identify trends, demonstrate compliance and support maintenance planning.

Another important focus of the draft standard is documentation and verification. Pool operators are expected to maintain records of testing, alarms, corrective actions and system performance. Smart controllers simplify this process through continuous data logging and automated reporting. Historical records can be reviewed to identify trends, demonstrate compliance and support maintenance planning.
Remote monitoring further enhances operational efficiency. Through cloud-based connectivity, operators can access live water quality data, receive alarm notifications and monitor multiple facilities from any location. Faster responses to issues can help minimise downtime and improve overall pool performance.

As Australian pool standards continue to evolve, intelligent automation is becoming an essential part of modern aquatic facility management. Systems such as the Aquarius ULTIMA SP26 provide the monitoring, control, reporting and integration capabilities needed to support future compliance requirements while delivering safer water, lower operating costs and a better experience for facility operators and pool users alike.

In short, the future of pool management is not simply automated dosing. It is complete, connected and intelligent pool management.

For more information on the Australian made Aquarius SP26 Smart controller, contact Aquarius Technologies: [email protected]

07 3274 4750
[email protected]
aquariustech.com.au