Time for a cover- up

AWARD- WINNING pool franchisee Terry Dwyer says pool blankets in Townsville could save a massive amount of water and money and that a rebate scheme should be introduced.

Meanwhile, the State Government and Townsville City Council have announced $ 10 million in funding for a water transition package including a rebate scheme but are yet to say what kind of water saving devices will be included.

Mr Dwyer, whose Townsville franchise has won two national and one State Poolwerx awards, said the Government had introduced a $ 200 rebate for pool blankets in Brisbane during its millennium drought. “But nothing happens up here. Poor old Tropical North Queensland,” Mr Dwyer said.

He said shade covers over pools “helped a little bit” but believed just 5 per cent of the 11,000 pools in the city had blankets which could prevent 97 per cent of evaporation and provide savings to pool owners in water, chemicals and cleaning.

Given estimates that up to 100 litres of water a day evaporates from an average pool, daily evaporation losses from pools in Townsville could amount to a megalitre.

Water for Townsville Action Group co- ordinator Linda Ashton supported a pool blanket rebate as “incentive driven conservation” but said evaporation from pools was minuscule compared with losses through Ross Dam and the city’s reticulation system.

The group believed 30 to 40 megalitres a day was lost in the reticulation system, she said.

“Every little bit helps but, really, losses from pools ... it’s a drop in the bucket,” Ms Ashton said.

The Townsville Poolwerx franchise won two national awards at the network’s recent convention, named the top- selling commercial franchise and collecting the Brand Excellence awards. It also won Queensland Franchise Partner of the Year.

Poolwerx CEO and founder John O’Brien said the Dwyers had established themselves as experts in com- mercial pool servicing and smart operators who had invested in a second retail outlet in Townsville despite difficulties in the regional economy.

They opened a second store at Rosslea last year, adding to a Mount Louisa pool shop and mobile pool maintenance service.

The business services areas from Cardwell to Bowen and out to Charters Towers.

“They have made smart business decisions which are paying off,” Mr O’Brien said.

Mr Dwyer said they had received a lot of recognition for the business’s maintenance of the council’s popular Riverway lagoon.

The business employs about 20 people.