How Landmark Aquatic transformed one of Texas’s busiest aquatic facilities—replacing aging vacuum sand filters with RMF technology, overhauling chemical delivery, and replastering a 900,000-gallon pool—in under six months.
–by Tim Warren
Located 20 miles south of Houston, the Pearland Natatorium serves a community of roughly 130,000 residents with a programming slate that spans competitive swim clubs, school district athletics, senior fitness, youth instruction, first responder training, and airline safety certifications. That breadth of use demands consistent, reliable infrastructure—something the aging facility could no longer guarantee.
Chronic equipment failures had pushed the natatorium into a cycle of unplanned closures, disrupting every user group and eroding public confidence. The City of Pearland engaged Landmark Aquatic to lead a comprehensive renovation targeting three core systems: the mechanical pump room, the chemical treatment system, and the pool interior. The scope addressed both immediate reliability and long-term operational sustainability.
Mechanical Room Overhaul: Replacing Vacuum Sand Filters with RMF
The renovation’s centerpiece was a full replacement of the facility’s vacuum sand filtration systems—technology that, while standard 15–20 years ago, had become a significant liability. The sand filters were unreliable, difficult to maintain, and demanded substantial resources just to keep running. Landmark Aquatic replaced them with Regenerative Media Filtration (RMF) systems, the current best practice for high-use indoor aquatic facilities.
The efficiency gains are substantial. The 900,000-gallon pool previously required backwashing at roughly 2,000 gpm for three to five minutes per cycle—consuming 8,000–10,000 gallons of heated, chemically treated water, sometimes weekly. That water went to drain; replacement water had to be sourced, reheated, and retreated from scratch. With RMF, the facility typically performs just three media regenerations per year, each using approximately 2,000 gallons. The reduction in water waste alone is dramatic, and the downstream savings in natural gas and chemical consumption compound the benefit.
Excavation Challenges: Underground Filters and Surge Tank Reconstruction
Removing the legacy vacuum sand filters proved more complex than a standard equipment swap. The filters were buried underground and—critically—were functioning as the facility’s surge tanks. Landmark Aquatic had to demolish and extract the buried filter vessels, excavate to roughly 10 feet, pour new dedicated surge tanks, construct a structural lid, and install the RMF units above the new tanks.
The confined footprint required the smallest available excavator, supplemented by extensive manual labor. The original configuration also carried an inherent risk: any flooding in the pit would submerge the pump motors, causing damage that required extraction and repair. This caused added maintenance costs that are alleviated with new filtration technology and mechanical room set ups.
Projects like this highlight the importance of working with a partner experienced in complex renovations, where construction, engineering, and operations intersect.
Integrated Controls: VFDs, Automation, and Interlocked Systems
With the new filtration in place, Landmark Aquatic completed the pump room upgrade with Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) on all pumps. The RMF control panels serve as the central automation hub, interlocking heating systems, pump speed settings, UV secondary sanitation, and chemical dosing into a single, operator-friendly interface.
This level of integration addresses a persistent challenge at facilities with high staff turnover: institutional knowledge. Traditional vacuum sand systems require operators to understand a complex valve sequence for each cleaning cycle—knowledge that walks out the door when experienced staff leave. The new automated system makes correct operation the path of least resistance, regardless of operator experience level.
“With the old systems, we faced regular shutdowns and couldn’t maintain the consistency our residents expect. Since reopening, the difference has been extraordinary. The upgraded filtration has improved our water clarity tremendously, and the reliability allows us to run every program without interruption.”
— Carry Capers, Parks and Recreation Director, City of Pearland
Chemical System Upgrade: Eliminating Liquid Chlorine and Acid Handling
Parallel to the mechanical work, Landmark Aquatic converted the facility’s chemical treatment system from liquid chlorine and liquid acid to tablet-based delivery. The change is primarily a safety decision, with meaningful operational benefits as a secondary gain. Landmark Aquatic regularly guides facilities through these transitions, helping reduce risk while simplifying day-to-day operations.
Liquid chlorine and liquid acid systems present a well-documented hazard when co-located in chemical feed lines: if a circulation pump trips offline overnight, concentrated liquid acid and liquid chlorine can pool in a static line and react, generating chlorine gas. When staff restart the pump the following morning, that gas is delivered directly into the natatorium. This scenario is not hypothetical—approximately 40–50 such incidents are reported nationally each year, with at least one occurring annually in the greater Houston area.
Tablet systems eliminate the risk of in-line chemical mixing. They also remove the handling hazards associated with bulk liquid deliveries—no contact exposure risk from acid or bleach during routine operations. For a facility with varied staff experience levels and a high-volume programming schedule, the reduction in liability and safety incident potential is significant.
Pool Interior: Replastering and Bulkhead Refurbishment
Landmark Aquatic also completed a full pool interior renovation. The existing plaster was removed and the pool was replastered throughout—restoring surface integrity, improving aesthetics, and contributing to better water quality management. Fresh plaster provides a more chemically stable surface that is easier to maintain and less hospitable to biofilm development.
The facility’s fiberglass competition bulkheads—each 75 feet long, 4 feet wide, and weighing upward of 15,000 pounds—were crane-lifted from the pool, fully refurbished and repainted, and returned to service. The work was coordinated with ongoing pump room construction to minimize schedule impact.
Project Outcomes
Including air handling and dehumidification work performed by specialty contractors, the full renovation was completed in just under six months. The facility reopened as a significantly more reliable, efficient, and competition-ready venue.
Operationally, the shift is measurable: reduced backwash water consumption, lower natural gas spend for heating, decreased chemical usage, and a maintenance workflow that no longer depends on specialized knowledge of legacy systems. The interlocked automation provides operators with real-time control over every major system from a single interface.
“Landmark Aquatic has been outstanding. Their team responds quickly, offers thoughtful recommendations, and supports us in managing both our budget and our operations. They help us keep our facility open every day of the week—and that consistency is invaluable.”
— Carry Capers, Parks and Recreation Director, City of Pearland
The Pearland Natatorium renovation reflects Landmark Aquatic’s commitment to building and restoring aquatic facilities that serve communities for decades. By focusing on long-term reliability, user experience, and operational sustainability, the project demonstrates the role public aquatics can play in a community.
