As part of the growing concern for the availability of water in the south Central Texas region, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service for Bexar County will hold a series of Backyard Gardening programs, one of which will feature the topic “Growing a Lawn and Saving Water.”

Bexar County AgriLife Extension agent for horticulture David Rodriguez said this will be a very timely program  due to the spring planting season and San Antonio possibly reaching Stage 3 water restrictions soon. The event will be held on April 23 at the agency’s San Antonio office at the Conroy Square complex in Suite 208.

Rodriguez also said that Texas would experience difficulty in providing water accessibility for the commercial agriculture sector, the green industry, and home landscaping.

According to Rodriguez and Bexar County Master Gardeners water conservation coordinator Vince Vita, the program will create awareness on how to conserve water for home landscaping.

Figuring out how to keep your landscape in shape, while dealing with warm temperatures and a lack of water can be difficult. Get in touch with our landscape experts at Athena Pools by calling 512-914-0554 to discuss your needs and receive the benefit of our experience in creating and managing beautiful landscapes.

The varsity swim and dive team from Lowell High School in Massachusetts traveled to an elementary school in the area in order to discuss water and pool safety with nearly 180 students.

After a drowning occurred at the high school’s pool over the summer, the swim coach decided that the returning swim and dive team starters should do something positive for the community.

Over the summer, a 17-year-old boy drowned in the pool, but it is unknown whether the teenager could swim. The Medical Examiner’s office determined that the death was an accident. After the incident, the state’s Department of Public Health did a review on the school department’s pool safety and multiple citations were given as a result.

The swim and dive team read the book Stewie the Duck Learns to Swim: A Children’s Guide to Water Safety to the children in order to promote the importance of learning to swim. The USA Swimming Foundation has stated that nearly 70 percent of black and Hispanic children do not know how to swim.

Pool safety is a very important topic to discuss with children if you have a pool at your home. If you have  young children, a custom home pool may be the best solution for you so that you can customize the safety features that you and your family need. Contact the Austin custom pool builders today by calling 512-914-0554.

The Texas summer heat can be somewhat overwhelming, but one popular way to cope with the high temperatures and still enjoy the great outdoors is to add a pool to the backyard. A pool can be the center of many entertaining events and parties for years to come. If you already have a pool but do not think that it is up to par, this may be a great time to make upgrades to it.

When upgrading your pool, you can add multiple features that fit your family’s needs. A few examples of common pool upgrades include adding aesthetically pleasing features such as waterfalls and new landscape, add a new deck to create sitting space for your guests, or add lighting features so that you can see in the pool at night.

If you had the pool built when your children were very young and now feel as if they have outgrown it, you can add depth to the pool or even change the shape to increase the size.

No matter what features you wish to add, contact the custom pool professionals at Athena Pools in order to discuss your ideas and determine the best plan for you and your family. Call our offices at 512-914-0554 today.

Austin city officials have stated that the Barton Springs pool will close this winter for repairs and will not reopen until spring.

The closure will begin in October so that the $2.9 million project to repair an underwater bypass tunnel can begin. The tunnel is in 13 sections and runs for a total of 1,000 feet under the north deck of the pool. The tunnel allows excess flood water from Barton Creek to divert below the pool

Holes were discovered in the tunnel in 2008, as they caused the water level in the pool to decrease dramatically. While the pool is closed for addressing these holes, other minor issues will also be repaired.

If you have a residential or commercial pool that needs repair, you need a company that has the experience and knowledge to complete the repairs efficiently. Contact the Austin custom pool builders of Athena Pools today.

Travis County officials have now identified the pools that have had West Nile virus activity. Test results showed that the majority of the afflicted pools are in the 78704 zip code.

Another person succumbed to the West Nile virus last week in Travis County, raising the death toll in the area to two. Officials have said that this outbreak is the worst that the state of Texas has seen in years.

The county has detected 108 pools that have seen activity from mosquitoes that carry West Nile. These pools are spread across 28 zip codes in the Austin area.

The key to avoiding infected mosquitoes is to make sure to drain all standing water to prevent the mosquitoes from breeding. Officials are urging homeowners to drain any standing water that they may have.

To read more on the story, visit KVUE News today.

U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps set a record last night for the most Olympic medals won by a single person. On Tuesday, he anchored the U.S. gold medal-winning 4×200 meter relay, and with this, he won his 19th Olympic medal.

With barely any time to celebrate this important achievement, Phelps was back in the pool the next day in order to race in the semifinal of the men’s 200 meter individual medley.

After Phelps secured his 19th medal, President Barack Obama congratulated the Olympian via Twitter stating, “Congrats to Michael Phelps for breaking the all-time Olympic medal record. You’ve made your country proud. – bo.”

The custom pool builders at Athena Pools would like to congratulate Michael Phelps for his tremendous achievement.

New requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act state that public pools must be made accessible to people with disabilities. As such, chair lifts must be installed in all public spas, swimming pools, and wading pools by January 31, 2013, for ease of entry and exit.

This January 2013 date is an extension of the original March 2012 deadline, but many public pools are still trying to fight the order.

Public pools are against these requirements because the chairs cost nearly $8,000, and many pools will now need to hire lifeguards to operate the devices. This is a major concern for pools that do not normally have lifeguards on staff.

If you or a loved one is looking for a custom pool builder in order to change your backyard into the perfect outdoor get-together spot, contact the Austin custom pool builders of Athena Pools by calling 512-914-0554 today and learn more about the custom pool building process.

The city of San Angelo hosted a grand opening for a swimming pool that has been closed  for two years for renovations.

The new pool was unveiled on Saturday after $3.2 million of modifications, although it has technically been opened since Memorial Day. This has been the pool’s first major renovations since 1938 and city officials are hoping that they will help make the city more fun and ‘desirable.’

The pool goes to 4 feet deep, but many are excited about the addition of water slides. Although, the pool has opened, city officials continue to make arrangements and are hoping to add a lazy river and tanning area.

If you or a loved one is interested in having a pool installed in your home, contact the Austin custom pool professionals of Athena Pools today.

The addition of a swimming pool to the family’s backyard is typically very exciting. It is important to be fully aware of the options and responsibilities that you will have as a pool owner so that you can install the pool that is right for your needs.

One of the most significant decisions to be made is whether you a traditional chlorine pool or a salt water pool will be built. Each has its own benefits, but many people are unaware of those associated with salt water pools due to their smaller number.

A salt water pool uses a salt chlorine generator to convert the salt into mild forms of chlorine. This chlorine is then slowly released into the water to kill bacteria that may be harmful to swimmers without exposing these individuals to potent chemicals that could irritate the skin. Many who have this type of pool have stated that they are much easier to maintain because there is no need to add chemicals regularly.

If you are interesting in having a custom pool built and would like to learn more about what to consider during the process, contact the Austin custom pool professionals of Athena Pools today.

The San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department has announced that 24 public pools in the city are now going to open. All of the pools will be free to the public.

Nineteen of the pools will have the same hours which will be Tuesday through Sunday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. The other pools will be open Tuesday through Friday and will be accessible from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The later hours are meant to accommodate families that work late and want to help keep their families active in the summer months. The pools will also be offering swim lessons as well as senior swim activities during the weekdays. Twenty of the city pools will close on August 20.

For more information on city pools in the Central Texas area, visit News WOAI today.