By Patrick Simmsgeiger, Founder of DWI

Natural Waterways may appear to maintain their beauty and health without any special attention. So, it can be easy for us to presume that our own man-made ponds, lakes and streams will fare just as well with little intervention. But in reality, quite the opposite is true.

Because of environmental factors and human impact, natural waterways require constant monitoring and care. That is why our cities, counties and states spend significant financial and human resources in order to preserve these natural wonders and maintain water quality.

Things aren’t so different for our man-made aquatic features. The beautiful ponds, lakes and moving water that we design into our landscapes also require monitoring and maintenance in order to keep them beautiful and healthy.

We have all seen it- that problem pond that looks like an opaque bowl of split pea soup or the lake that has so much muck floating around you can hardly see the water (all of which are due to common algae). Or we’ve witnessed a sudden and inexplicable die-off of aquatic life, like fish or plants. Problems such as these are unsightly and putrid at best. At worst, they can pose a health threat as a source for mosquitoes that spread deadly diseases like the West Nile Virus.

We all recognize when problems occur but how many of us can effectively diagnose and treat them? And how can we prevent such conditions in the first place?

One important bit of advice would be to emphasize proper design when creating our aquatic features. But, as it is likely that many of you have already installed or “adopted” an existing aquatic feature, this bit of advice may not be helpful for everyone. And keep in mind, even the best designs aren’t immune to water quality issues.

Also, remember to set aside adequate financial resources to maintain and, if needed, replace the complex equipment that operates your aquatic features. Many water quality issues can be traced to inadequate, failing or faulty equipment such as pumps, filters, drainages and more. As if often the case, this is an aspect of maintenance that is overlooked or neglected due to a lack of understanding, a lack of budget or both.

Trying to manage all of this can seem intimidating and overwhelming- especially if your aquatic features are already experiencing water quality issues. This is where the services of an aquatic maintenance provider might be of real help.

A licensed, knowledgeable and experienced professional can provide the foresight and insight to help keep our aquatic features healthy and attractive by not only solving problems quickly and efficiently, but also offering an effective strategy of preventative maintenance. This can save you significant amounts of time, money and frustration in the long run. And that means being able to enjoy the peacefulness and beauty of your aquatic features all the more.