Commercial pool operators know the truth: crystal-clear, safe and inviting water doesn’t happen by chance. Behind every smooth guest experience is a carefully followed routine, built on equal parts discipline and technology.
In 2026, the fundamentals of commercial pool maintenance haven’t changed much. Water still needs to be tested, debris still needs to be skimmed and safety gear still needs to be inspected. What has changed is how modern technology is making the job easier, more sustainable and less stressful. Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) water treatment is a prime example.
Whether you manage a YMCA, a hotel pool, a municipal pool or a community center, this commercial pool maintenance checklist will help you keep your facility ready for guests day after day. Along the way, I’ll share how adding AOP pool sanitation to my facility streamlined my routine, reduced headaches and gave swimmers a noticeably better experience.
The Commercial Pool Maintenance Checklist for 2026
1. Test & Record Water Chemistry
Testing and documenting water chemistry remains the most critical step for safety, regulatory compliance and consistent water quality. According to CDC Healthy Swimming guidelines, disinfectant and pH levels should be checked at least twice a day to ensure they remain within safe ranges.
Daily testing should include:
- pH (maintained between 7.2 and 7.8)
- Free chlorine or bromine levels
- Total alkalinity
In 2026, more health departments and insurance providers require operators to maintain digital water quality logs. Digital records make audits easier and allow operators to spot trends early. For example, if your pH constantly drifts low, you can catch equipment issues before they spiral into costly problems.
AOP Advantage:
With an AOP system, I’ve noticed far fewer dramatic swings in chlorine and pH. Instead of chasing numbers every morning, my daily checks show stable, consistent and predictable readings. That means fewer chemical top-offs and less time spent balancing water.
2. Skim & Clean Debris
Leaves, dirt, sunscreen and other debris don’t just make a pool look uninviting – they also clog filters and increase chlorine demand. Skimming the surface and vacuuming when the pool bottom looks dirty is still a daily must.
Daily tasks still include:
- Skimming the surface
- Spot-vacuuming visible debris
- Verifying robotic cleaners are operating properly
Modern robotic vacuums can handle a lot of this work, but they still need oversight. You still need to clean the filters, check the units and make sure the entire pool floor and walls are clear.
AOP Advantage:
Because AOP breaks down organics before they build up, the water stays clearer for longer. I’ve found we need to vacuum less often, and tile lines stay cleaner than before AOP.
3. Inspect Skimmers and Strainer Baskets
Skimmers and pump baskets are your pool’s first line of defense against debris entering the circulation system. Each day:
- Empty skimmer and pump baskets
- Inspect for cracks, warping or blockage
- Confirm water flow is strong and even
Neglecting skimmers leads to clogged filters, restricted flow and unhappy swimmers – often triggering downstream equipment problems.
AOP Advantage:
While AOP doesn’t replace skimmers, it reduces the organic load entering them. This means baskets fill more slowly, and filter cleanings are less frequent.
4. Check Pool Area and Deck Safety
Commercial pool maintenance extends beyond water quality. A daily safety walkthrough of the pool deck helps prevent injuries and liability exposure.
Confirm that:
- Rescue tubes and reaching poles are properly staged
- Emergency signage is clearly visible and legible
- Deck surfaces are free of standing water, broken tile or trip hazards
AOP Advantage:
AOP does not directly impact safety – but it indirectly reduces day-to-day pool “fire drills.” Without strong “chlorine” odors or eye irritation, staff spend less time with air quality complaints and more time focused on safety.
5. Inspect Pool Equipment and Fixtures
All physical pool equipment should be visually inspected daily. National codes, like the Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code, help guide how pool equipment is installed, inspected and kept safe.
This includes:
- Ladders and handrails (tight, stable and properly bonded)
- Diving boards (no surface cracks, secure mounting hardware and intact non-slip surfaces)
- ADA lifts (charged, working and ready to use)
AOP Advantage:
Lower chlorine usage means less corrosion over time. Handrails, fixtures and pool decks simply last longer without constant exposure to aggressive chemicals in the water and air. Over time, this helps reduce costly pool repairs and failures.
6. Perform a Pump Room Walkthrough
The pump room is where the magic (or chaos) happens. Each walkthrough should include:
- Verifying filtration system status
- Checking pressure gauges and flow meters
- Confirming pumps are primed and running smoothly
- Listening for abnormal vibration or noise
Many operators treat the pump room like a second office, and with good reason – it’s the heart of your pool.
AOP Advantage:
Since switching to AOP, my pump room walkthroughs are faster and more predictable. With fewer chemical swings, feeders wear out less, alarms go off less often and balancing the system takes far less guesswork.
7. Verify Chemical Feeders and Automation Systems
Even with AOP or another secondary or supplemental sanitizer, pools still require some chlorine or bromine. Daily checks should include:
- Confirming proper feeder output
- Inspecting for leaks, scale or clogs
- Making sure chemical levels are topped off
When feeders malfunction, chemistry problems spiral fast. A five-minute check today can save hours of cleanup tomorrow.
AOP Advantage:
Because chlorine demand is lower with AOP sanitation, chemical feeders don’t run as hard. That means less wear and tear, fewer pool service calls and repairs, and longer equipment life.
How AOP Changed My Operation: The Bigger Picture
When I first heard about Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) technology, I was skeptical. In the pool industry, “new technologies” often turn out to be more hype than help.
Installing an AOP sanitizer – specifically Clear Comfort AOP – proved to be different.
Here’s what changed almost immediately.
1. Less Chemical Testing and Adjustment Hassle
Before AOP, I felt like I was constantly “chasing the numbers.” A pH drift here, a chlorine spike there – it was a daily game of adjustment. With AOP in place, the swings leveled out. I could test, record, and move on, without spending half the morning adding chemicals.
2. Cleaner Water and Less Scrubbing
Hydroxyl radicals – the core of AOP technology – break down contaminants before they turn into cloudy water, biofilm or algae blooms. My staff and I noticed we weren’t scrubbing tile lines as often, and the robotic vacuums pulled out less sludge.
As a result:
- Tile lines stay cleaner
- Sludge buildup decreases
- Robotic vacuums remove less residue
The overall cleaning workload dropped without compromising water clarity or safety.
3. Simplified Pump Room Checks
When chlorine demand is high, feeders and controllers work overtime. That leads to more alarms, more calibration and more component failures.
With AOP reducing chemical load, demand fell. Feeders lasted longer, alarms went quiet, and the pump room walkthrough became more of a confirmation than a firefight.
4. A Better Guest Experience
This might be the biggest win of all. Swimmers complained less about red eyes, itchy skin or the dreaded “chlorine smell.” For staff, that meant fewer interruptions and more time focusing on safety and programming. For me, it meant fewer uncomfortable conversations with parents and managers.
Swimmers complained less about:
- Red or irritated eyes
- Dry or itchy skin
- Strong “chlorine smell”
- Chlorine cough
For staff, that meant fewer interruptions and fewer pool service desk calls. For management, it meant fewer uncomfortable conversations with parents, guests and program directors.
5. Sustainability Wins
In 2026, sustainability isn’t a buzzword – it’s a necessity. Budgets are tight, and community expectations are higher than ever. With AOP, we used fewer chemicals, extended the lifespan of our metal fixtures and equipment, and reduced water waste. All of that added up to a greener footprint and lower operating costs.
With AOP, our facility:
- Used fewer chemicals
- Extended the life of metal fixtures and equipment
- Reduced the frequency of corrective water changes
The result was a smaller environmental footprint and lower long-term operating costs.
Why the Checklist Still Matters – Even With AOP
It’s important to note that AOP doesn’t eliminate the need for a daily checklist. You still need to test, skim, inspect, and walk through your facility. What AOP does is simplify the checklist:
You still need to:
- Test and record water chemistry
- Skim and vacuum
- Inspect safety equipment
- Walk the pump room
- Verify feeders and automation systems
What AOP changes is the difficulty and stress level of those tasks.
With AOP, I experienced:
- Fewer chemical adjustments during daily testing
- Less debris and organic buildup when skimming and vacuuming
- Reduced strain on feeders and filtration systems
- Longer-lasting equipment and fixtures
- Happier guests with fewer health complaints
In other words, the fundamentals stay the same, but the workload and stress shrink.
Final Thoughts
Running a commercial pool in 2026 means balancing tradition with innovation. The traditional checklist – testing water, skimming debris, checking safety equipment, inspecting pump rooms – remains as critical as ever. But AOP pool sanitation technology made that checklist easier to execute, faster to complete and more reliable.
For me, adding AOP was like hiring an invisible assistant. It didn’t replace my responsibilities, but it made them more manageable. My logs looked steadier, my pump room was calmer, my staff was less stressed and my guests were happier.
If you manage a commercial pool, my advice is simple: stick to the basics, use tools that truly make your job easier and don’t overlook the value of happy swimmers. Because at the end of the day, the clearest water is more than just chemistry – it’s peace of mind.
Drew Schoenster
Drew Schoenster has more than 20 years of hands-on aquatics operations experience, from lifeguard to Aquatics Director within the YMCA. At Clear Comfort, he helps universities, municipalities and aquatic centers simplify operations while improving water and air quality. Drew is a frequent speaker at industry events such as The Pool & Spa Show by NESPA and the Western Pool & Spa Show, and a contributor to Aquatics International.
