Dear *|FNAME|* FirstService sent out a survey recently asking whether owners support reducing winter pool hours or shutting the pool for five months. We support cost‑saving measures when they make sense — but this survey leaves out key information owners need to make an informed decision. Here is a simple breakdown based on actual invoices and the Association’s own financials. |
1. Chemicals — savings are small |
According to Gateview Financial Statements, in 2025, $9,715 was spent on chlorine, not $11,000. Shutting down the pool for five months would save about: - ~$5.67K total, or
- ~97¢ per unit/month over a year.
Pool chemical budgeting has also been inconsistent — the 2026 budget increased the combined pool/spa category by 16%, far above inflation. The following chart shows the pool budget has been on a roller-coaster ride the past few years, so it's hard to take these pool cost numbers at face value. |
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Large budget swings suggest a management company may be moving expenses between categories. |
2. Water — savings are tiny |
Using a government evaporation calculator for a pool our size in our location, winter evaporation is about: - 108 gallons/day, which is
- 0.2% of Gateview’s daily average water use of 63,000 GPD (gallons per day) in 2025. That volume fills a large bathtub.
Based on the 12/25 EBMUD bill, total winter water savings over the 5 closure months is ~$261, or ~4¢ per unit/month over a year. |
3. Gas — the survey wording is misleading |
The survey refers to “yearly heating costs” without saying “pool heating,” which many owners will misunderstand. Using PG&E gas rates and standard engineering calculations for a pool our size in Bay Area winter conditions, shutting the pool for five months would save about: - $6,365 total, or
- ~2.83% of Gateview's annual gas cost ($224,748 in 2025), or
- ~$1.09 per unit per month.
This is far less than the “20%–50% yearly heating cost reduction” implied in the survey. |
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- Reduced pool service: ~$3,120/year
- Longer heater life: ~$2,239/year
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5. Total realistic savings |
Adding everything together: - ~$17.7K/year total savings which is
- Equivalent to: ~$3.03 per unit/month or
- About 0.31% of current dues for a 2-bedroom unit ($980/month). One third of one percent.
This is the real scale of the savings. |
6. Survey design problems |
The survey also won’t produce reliable results because: - It asks how you use the pool, not whether your household or your tenants use it.
- It doesn’t account for the ~ 40% of units that are rented.
- It asks if you support reduced hours “if it results in measurable savings” without defining what “measurable” means.
These issues make the results easy to misinterpret. What does measurable mean? $5 or $1,000 or 20,000? Here is a chart of Gateview's water and gas consumption over the past 5 years, based on utility invoices: |
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Installing a gas meter on the pool heater is the best way to measure savings. |
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A closed, covered pool is visible and can affect property value. Before reducing amenities, owners deserve clear numbers and clear questions.
This survey does not provide either. For the sake of transparency, this survey was designed by Vice President Ketki Shah.
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We support prudent saving when possible, but not based on incomplete or misleading surveys. We remain convinced that fixing the hot-water delivery problem can save more gas and water than shutting down the pool for 5 months a year. |
As always, you can reach out to us if you have concerns about your property or how it is being operated. Thank you! Sincerely, Karim
Steven |
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