Articles

When the NPIRC’s Phase 2 report is completely reviewed, it becomes obvious that the conclusions rendered are not supported by the results of their test pool experiments. It appears that the two Cal Poly professors and NPC leaders confused plaster surface weaknesses, discoloration, and degradation (caused by poor workmanship) with uniform etching (caused by aggressive water).

For example, the reports states that Pools 1, 5, 8, and 12 showed signs of “etching deterioration” in just six weeks’ time after plastering and filling with water. But those pools did not have aggressive water (negative LSI) during the first six weeks! And Pools 1, 3, 4, 5, and 12 had discoloration, all without the water being aggressive. White soft spots (called “spot etching” by the plasterers) were reported in Balanced Pools 1, 4, 5, and 12 at the fourth month inspection.

A review of the results of Spa 13 and Spa 14 is also revealing. Spa 13 was deemed to be the “Aggressive” spa, and Spa 14 was the “Balanced” spa. But the first four months water test results shows that the water in both spas were virtually identical with balanced and positive LSI numbers.

At the six week and fourth month inspections, the NPIRC claimed that Spa 13 had significant signs of etching and discoloration, but Spa 14 did not. Shouldn’t the condition of both spas have been the same since the water balance was the same? Yet, the NPIRC concluded that aggressive water caused the unsightly issues in Spa 13 even though the water was balanced.

It is very curious that the professors and NPC leaders did not consider improper workmanship practices as causes of the discoloration and degradation of their test pools since the water was balanced with positive LSI’s, and especially since the cement/concrete industry has documented issues like this. Didn’t they review the water chemistry data? Were they just unaware of the facts, or was it something else?

The twelve pools and two spas had different plaster finishers working in them. They claimed to have videotaped the plastering. Shouldn’t they have reviewed that and learned what went wrong, instead of blaming the water chemistry?