Douglas Latta has over 40 years of experience in the swimming pool industry. He has been actively involved in all aspects of swimming pool chemical and cleaning service, swimming pool repairs, remodeling and new construction. He is a state licensed contractor in California with B (general building contractor) C53 (swimming pool construction) and C61 (swimming pool repair) classifications.

Tenure:

1975 – 1987 Owner, Aqua Clear
1987 – present President, Aqua Clear Pools, Inc

Education:

Fairfax High School, Los Angeles California

Associate of Arts, Business Administration – Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles California

Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration – California Lutheran College, Thousand Oaks, California

Masters, Business Administration, Curriculum completed, concurrent Masters/Ph.D Program,

Currently enrolled, Ph.D curriculum, California Coast University, Santa Ana, California

Publications

National Association of Gas Chlorinaters (NAGC), Co Author (with Que Hales):

  • Gas Chlorine Pool Applicator Study Guide
  • Gas Chlorine Minimum Safety Guidelines
  • Gas Chlorine Minimum Transportation Safety Guidelines
  • Gas Chlorine: Purely the Best
  • Pure Chlorine: Dispelling the Myths
  • Sodium Hypochlorite Pool Applicator Study Guide

National Plasterers Council

  • New Plaster Care Tips

Western Pool and Spa Show

  • Basic Water Chemistry, Spanish and Korean Version (with Que Hales)

Articles:

  • “Frequently Asked Chemistry and Plaster Questions” California Pool Owner Magazine, Spring 1992 Issue
  • “Filtration” (with Que Hales) California Pool Owner Magazine, Fall 1992 Issue
  • “Drain Free Technology”, California Pool Owner Magazine, Fall 1992 Issue
  • “Helpful Winter Tips for your Swimming Pool” California Pool Owner Magazine, Fall 1992 Issue
  • “Pumps and Motors” ,California Pool Owner Magazine, Summer 1993 Issue
  • “Algae and common pool problems” ,California Pool Owner Magazine, Summer 1993 Issue
  • “Avoiding the Pool Service Blues”, California Pool Owner Magazine, Spring 1994 Issue
  • “Gas Chlorination” ,California Pool Owner Magazine, Spring 1994 Issue
  • “Interference in Melamine-based Determination of Cyanuric Acid Concentration”, Journal of the Swimming Pool and Spa Industry, Volume 1, Number 2 pp 35-37 1995
  • “Plaster Care Tips” California Pool Owner Magazine, Summer 1995 Issue
  • “Service Choice” California Pool Owner Magazine, Summer 1995 Issue
  • “Pool Chemical Question and Answer” California Pool Owner Magazine, Summer 1997 issue
  • “New Plaster Start-up Chemistry Using Sodium Bicarbonate” (with Que Hales and Kim Skinner) – NSPI Symposium Proceedings Volume 2 1997 pp. 34-41
  • “Water Testing” California Pool Owner Magazine, Summer 1998 issue
  • “Plaster Care-Stain Removal” California Pool Owner Magazine, Summer 1998 issue
  • “Pool Plaster: Reasonable Expectations” California Pool Owner Magazine, Summer 1998 issue
  • “New Plaster Start-up Chemistry Using Sodium Bicarbonate” (with Que Hales and Kim Skinner) Jopurnal of the Swimming Pool and Spa Industry, Voume 3, Number 2 pp 12-20 1999
  • “A Chain Reaction” Pool and Spa News, February, 2000 (with Que Hales and Kim Skinner)
  • “Chlorine Fact and Function” Pool Science Magazine, May 2000
  • “Resurfacing Options” Pool Science Magazine, May, 2001
  • “Specialty Chemicals” Pool Science Magazine, July 2001
    Contributor
  • “Swimming Pool Workmanship Guidelines”, Swimming Pool Education Council (SPEC), Swimming Pool Trades and Contractors Association, (SPTCA)
  • “The Upstart Start-Up”, Pool and Spa News, February 10, 1992
  • “The Power and the Peril”, Pool and Spa News, September 7, 1992
  • “On the Trail of pH Reactions”, Pool and Spa News, April 19, 1993
  • “Swimming Pool Renovation” (Penny O Malley) 1997 Club Management Magazine
  • “National Plasterers Council Technical Manual, 1998 Revision”, National Plasterers Council
  • “Breakthrough in Plaster Research”, Service Industry News Jan 15,2003
  • “More Research into the cause of Plaster Etching”,Service Industry News Feb 15, 2003

Presentations:

Western Pool and Spa Show
1993,1994,1995,1996 Billing and Collection
1993-2003 Business Management
1993, 1994, 1995 Gas chlorination
1996-2003 Advanced Water Chemistry (with Que Hales and Kim Skinner)
1997-2003 Swimming Pool Plaster Research (with Que Hales and Kim Skinner)
Topics include: Pool plaster, Spot Etch Research, Calcium nodules, Buffer chemistry, Iron Staining, Copper Staining, Chlorine chemistry, Breakpoint chlorination, Disproving the Dow Whitney Report, Plaster etching, Pool Surface Troubleshooting, Understanding Conditioner, C0 2 chemistry, calcium sulfating.

National Spa and Pool Institute
1993 Annual Conference: Gas Chlorination
1997 NSPI Chemical Symposium,:New Plaster Start-up Chemistry Using Sodium Bicarbonate (with Que Hales and Kim Skinner
2000 Annual Conference: Spot Etching Research (with Que Hales and Kim Skinner)
NSPI, Southern California Chapter, TECH 1 and 2 Water Chemistry for the pool service technician

NPC Annual Conference 1992 – 2001
Service Panel Discussion, 1992, 1998 United Chemical Products Presentation 1993
Various seminar topics including: pH Dynamics of Chlorine, Acid Column Myth Chemical Dosages, Understanding C0 2 Chemistry, Calcium Sulfate, Joint NPC/NAGC research updates

NAGC/SPTWP Annual Conference 1992 – 2003
Various seminar topics including: Research Chlorine Safety Valve Repair Plaster Research Spot Etching Research and updates, Iron Staining Copper Staining, Joint NPC/NAGC research updates

NAGC Chlorine Safety Seminars 1993 – 2002

SPWTP Chemistry and Plaster Seminars 2000 – 2003

Chlorine Gas Disinfection Association
2002 (with Gary Crayton)

Various IPSSA & UPA chapter presentations
Water Chemistry, Plaster Problems, Spot Etch Research

San Fernando Valley IPSSA
Water Chemistry Seminar, June 2001

 Member:

SPEC (Swimming Pool Educational Council)

NSPI (National Spa and Pool Institute)

SPWTP (formerly NAGC) (Swimming Pool Water Treatment Professionals)

SPTCA (Swimming Pool Trade and Contractors Association)

SPCMA (Swimming Pool Chemical Manufacturers Association)

Chlorine Institute

AWWA (American Water Works Association)

NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers)

ACI (American Concrete Institute)

PPOA (Professional Pool Operators Association)

Executives Association of the San Fernando Valley

National Plasterers Council (1990 – 2001)

Association Involvement:

Board of Directors:
Swimming Pool Trades and Contractors Association (SPTCA) 1990 – 1997 President, 1994/95
National Association of Gas Chlorinators (NAGC) 1992 – 1997 Founding President, 1992/94
Swimming Pool Water Treatment Professionals (SPWTP) 2002 – present
Swimming Pool Education Council (SPEC) 1992 – current Executive Committee 1995-
Swimming Pool Chemical Manufacturers Association (SPCMA) 1985 – 2003 Treasurer 1994
Western Pool and Spa Show, 1995 – current
National Plasterers Council (NPC)

– 1992 – 1995 NAGC Liaison

– 1996 – 2001 SPTCA/WPSS Liaison

– 1992 – 2001, voting member, NPC Research Committee, NPC Technical Manual Committee