Home | Pool News | France Using A.I. To Find Thousands of Untaxed Pools
France is experiencing its worst drought on record, and the country’s tax authorities are using artificial intelligence to find thousands of undeclared swimming pools.
Federal officials have used software created by Google and a consulting firm, Capgemini, to find 20,356 previously undisclosed pools since last October. Aerial images are analyzed by the system’s AI software to determine the boundaries of swimming pools, which are then compared to publicly accessible property records.
The software appears to have been incredibly successful. Tax officials announced on Monday that the program, which has brought in an extra $10 million for nine French regions, will now be rolled out across the country.
Due to the potential increase in property value, swimming pools in France are subject to taxation. Within ninety days of any swimming pool’s completion, the homeowner must file a tax report declaring the pool’s existence. According to reports, the government projects that implementing the AI software nationwide will generate $40 million in additional taxes in 2023.
The demand for swimming pools skyrocketed during the coronavirus pandemic, when millions of people were forced to quarantine at home, and has persisted throughout the summer, while Europe has experienced some of its hottest temperatures on record. According to recent statistics, there are approximately 3.2 million residential swimming pools in France with over 240,000 built during 2021 alone, according to France’s Federation of Pool and Spa Professionals.
Backyard swimming pools have long been a target for tax officials. Nearly 17,000 private pools were discovered by Athens tax authorities using satellite imagery during the Greek debt crisis a decade ago, but only 324 of them were declared by their owners.
The French AI system isn’t perfect – but close to it. The AI apparently sometimes confused solar panels for swimming pools and missed some vessels because of dense foliage. Eventually, tax officials hope to use the system to discover undeclared home extensions like verandas and pergolas, according to officials.
The French tax agency claims that the algorithm was improved through machine learning as it was tested, so it now has a very small margin of error. Ninety-four percent of taxpayers contacted by authorities after being flagged by the tool confirmed they had a taxable swimming pool.
As might be expected in a country like France, the integration of A.I. and aerial photography has sparked considerable political debate. Unions representing French tax collectors are opposed to the effort, fearing that it will “replace field work by tax collectors and surveyors”. They question the reliability of the system and are concerned that tax collectors and surveyors, who have deep roots in their communities, will be phased out in favor of desk workers reviewing the output of algorithms.
The announcement by the French government comes on the heels of ongoing concerns about the drought in France. Water restrictions have become more common and increased calls for energy conservation have already led to increased calls to regulate the use of swimming pools, despite scorching temperatures.
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Editor in Chief of Pool Magazine - Joe Trusty is also CEO of PoolMarketing.com, the leading digital agency for the pool industry. An internet entrepreneur, software developer, author, and marketing professional with a long history in the pool industry. Joe oversees the writing and creative staff at Pool Magazine. To contact Joe Trusty email [email protected] or call (916) 467-9118 during normal business hours. For submissions, please send your message to [email protected]
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For those fortunate enough to have a pool at their residence, swimming can be a great way to to unwind during the summer months. While swimming pools are an excellent way to relax, stray voltage in the pool can pose a significant threat. Stray voltage typically occurs through improperly grounded pool equipment.
Before you can figure out how to stop stray voltages from happening, you need to know what it is. In most layman of terms, stray voltage exists when unconstrained currents leak from an electrical source. When swimmers or pets come in contact, stray voltage can even prove fatal.
Most first shocks from stray voltages are less than 10 volts, which is not very strong. When a person gets into the pool or touches a handrail or ladder that is connected to the pool, they may feel a small tingling or stinging sensation. Children are more sensitive to sensory input than adults are, so they often notice these small shocks before adults do.
A faulty transformer or electrical cable can often be the source of stray voltage in the swimming pool. This leaking current then travels through the ground in an attempt to deplete its energy. Just like a lightning strike, it uses the Earth’s ground as a pathway.
In reality, these voltages can be found under the soil of most homes. Your family could be in danger even if your home’s electrical system meets all applicable standards.
One of the most likely places to find stray voltage is in a swimming pool, simply because electrical current has much less resistant transit in the presence of water. When electricity flows from an electrical outlet and into another conductive item, like a metal water pipe, metal support beam, or concrete slab, this is known as “stray voltage.”
Until the electric supply is cut or the power source of the energy is removed, the electricity will remain in the water. Having poor electrical wiring, inadequate GFCI protection for outlets and circuits, and electrical cords and appliances coming into contact with water are the three most common causes of electrocution in swimming pools.
Electrocution in a swimming pool is very rare, but it is still a risk for anyone who owns a pool. Consequently, it’s important to know what to look for if there’s an electric current in the pool and how to stop it.
It used to be common practice to embed metal rebar into concrete floors (for concrete stability). Metal was the preferred conductor of electricity, rather than concrete, and stray voltage was not a major worry back in those days.
Stray current became a problem as the concrete industry began incorporating additional components into the mix and rebar was no longer required on every build. As a result, contact voltage has been linked to far too many incidences of injury and even death.
There is no visible sign or way to tell if the water in the swimming pool contains enough electricity to kill. Most of the time, people don’t feel electrical current right away when they get into the pool. This is a lesson New Jersey homeowner James Volk learned first-hand.
A Brick family discovered an electrical current running through their yard and pool. Now they are seeking help to shut it down. https://t.co/p5VoT9UfWe
“My wife, my mother-in-law, and my daughter were in the pool, and my wife went to go clean out the skimmer basket,” Volk told news sources. “When she stuck her hand in, she got shocked so bad that she felt it down to her feet, like tingling, numbness.”
The entire family has learned to tread lightly around the pool area as some have experienced these shocks outside of the pool. The family is currently investigating what is causing the issue and have closed their pool until they can determine the cause.
Protecting swimmers in the pool from stray voltage should be of top priority. With proper wiring, the risk of stray voltage can be greatly mitigated. Wiring and grounding will also function better. Consequently, consideration of how to safeguard against stray current starts during construction of the pool itself.
Stray voltage can occur suddenly if problems develop on the grounded or neutral side of an electrical system. Equipment which may have worked perfectly for years can malfunction if something out of the ordinary occurs.
Every pool with underwater lighting, a pump to move the water, or electric heating has a chance that the water could become electrically charged if there is an electrical fault. Most experts would advise to add equipotential bonding grids under the pool and deck in order to provide stray voltage an alternative pathway.
A pool should be electrically safe to swim in if it has been constructed right and has an equipotential deck surface with all of its components properly bonded.
If you do suspect your pool has stray voltage, a device known as a “shock alert” can be used to check for electricity in the pool water. If there is electricity in the water, the shock alert will let you know by beeping and flashing red. This would indicate that there is electricity in the water and swimmers should stay out. If the device flashes green, on the other hand, it would indicate that there is no voltage and the pool is safe to swim in.
The best advice is to avoid contact with any stray voltages at all costs. Seek the assistance of a licensed electrician as soon as possible if you think you have this issue close to your pool or spa. Do not allow anyone, including humans and pets, near the pool until the issue has been resolved.
The electrical code has seen in significant evolution during the past recent decades. It’s possible that the bonds in many older swimming pools were nefver properly installed or constructed to begin with. A wiring fault or issue with your electrical provider are also additional possibilities. There are a number of potential causes of stray voltages, so it’s best to have a qualified electrical contractor check it out and fix it. The majority of problems have very simple solutions.
The relationship that consumers have with their homes has changed in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. The average homeowner has doubled their home equity since 2020. Homeowners gained $3.2 trillion in equity in 2021 alone. Across the nation, folks were eager to use that equity to finance backyard improvements.
With a housing market shortage, the prices for homes have skyrocketed to the point that many believe their investment will pay off down the road. Consumers are investing in outdoor home improvements like a pool, calculating that improving the backyard will ultimately increase the value of their home. This is a strategy that may pay off, especially as swimming pools become more expensive to build in 2022.
Supply chain shortages and a tight labor market have plagued the pool construction industry over the past two years. Pool equipment shortages came seemingly out of nowhere. Basic materials were in short supply. Concrete prices have continued to soar. Consequently, the price of an inground pool has gone up substantially since 2020.
Most pool construction companies rely on a healthy subcontractor base. Today, the number of masonry crews that were available before the pandemic is roughly half of what it was in 2020 and ranks 4th in severity amongst labor shortages in the trades. Among the subs that are still operating, many are working with a skeleton crew with half the number of workers they had prior to Covid. The prevailing labor shortage problem in itself is why it’s taking longer to build swimming pools.
Those with the foresight to know when to strike while the iron is hot may not get a better deal by ‘waiting it out’. Prices for inground pools are expected to climb again in 2023, waiting to build may not be the smartest option if it winds up costing thousands extra.
For Donna Sanchez of Folsom, CA, the choice was a clear one. She spoke with Pool Magazine about the challenges of building her dream backyard. “When our community swimming pool was shut down due to Covid, my mind was made up – we were building a pool.” Her husband was working remotely from home and having the kids around taking their lessons online meant a full house for Sanchez. Building a swimming pool in the backyard meant an answer to a variety of problems.
Financing backyard improvements like building a pool meant refinancing her home and flipping her home equity into an inground pool. “As easy as the financing process was for us, the building process was the complete opposite,” said Sanchez.
Plagued with a series of delays due to weather, permitting, and construction, Sanchez said her pool was finished by mid-2021, roughly 3 months behind schedule. “Everything about the project was more expensive than we initially anticipated. During construction, the price for materials just went absolutely crazy.”
Prior to the pandemic, the Sanchez family had considered building a swimming pool but had put off the idea for concerns it would lower the resale price of their home. Traditionally, this line of thinking may have been true. Homes with swimming pools tended to take longer to sell as they would need to appeal to a particular buyer who wanted one in their backyard. The additional costs of maintenance and insurance were considerations that could turn away many buyers.
“The pandemic changed everything,” said Sanchez, “if I had a crystal ball and knew the price for a pool would shoot up the way it did, we would have built back in ’19. Waiting wound up costing us probably an additional $30,000 to build our pool.”
“The hardest part of building a pool was competing against everyone else who wanted one at the same time. The initial builder we wanted to build with was booked solid, and so was our second choice,” explained Sanchez, who said that quite often communication with her builder was lacking throughout the entire process. She claims he was inundated with other projects they were building simultaneously with hers.
By the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, it had become increasingly desirable to purchase a home that included a swimming pool, if only to save the hassle of installing one. Rather than dealing with the difficulty of building, buying a home that was “ready to swim” has been what many consumers have opted for. “We’re seeing homes with a swimming pool go for a premium,” said Yuba City realtor, Michelle Lightle, “consumers who don’t wait to wait for two years to get their swimming pool built are snapping up homes that already have a pool.”
Talking Pools podcast recently celebrated a pretty big milestone with their show by reaching #43 on the “How To” section of Apple Podcasts (Chartable.com). The “How To” category typically comprises an audience base of homeowners, and DIY’ers looking for sound advice. Being in the #43 position is an achievement in itself. With over 850,000 podcasts out there, its a good indicator that the show has begun to break through and track with listeners outside of the pool industry.
The team behind Talking Pools are industry professionals Rudy Stankowitz, Andrea Nannini Heather Linton, Kelli Clancy and Dan Lenz. Dedicated to giving back to the industry, the group finds the time for coordinating to record episodes in their off-hours between servicing and maintaining pools.
One of the things which perhaps makes Talking Pools stand out from other pool-related podcasts including our own, is the uniquely spontaneous format of the show. It’s often reminiscent of listening to your favorite radio show on your morning drive to work.
Best-selling author, CPO trainer, and Talking Pools Co-Host Rudy Stankowitz shared his insights as to what their hit new show is all about and why it is fast becoming a favorite among pool industry professionals.
“Talking Pools is about real pool talk. It’s about the sharing of information, the conversations that you would have with another pool pro in the distributor parking lot; that’s what we’re about,” said Stankowitz.
“We have the right hosts in place to ensure a listener doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel; that they can avoid the typical stumbling blocks a service company or builder can face, only one with less than ten years of experience, and two with over thirty years each” explained Stankowitz, “I think I can speak for the five pool pro hosts of the Talking Pools Podcast and say that the goal of this podcast is to benefit the listeners. An occasional interview, but eons from the standard interview podcast format. We mostly talk about our own experiences. Just pool pros talking pools.”
In each episode, you’ll hear plenty of witty banter about everyday issues in addition to whatever pool topic du jour is being served up that day. Perhaps, one of the most pleasing aspects is how all of the hosts seem to have a camaraderie and chemistry that resonates and makes the podcast genuinely enjoyable to listen to.
While all of the hosts appear to have their unique areas of expertise, the nature of the podcast and its revolving guest list makes for the type of impromptu back and forth that stimulates thought-provoking dialogue. The unforced and often unplanned approach to the program is often more in line with traditional radio interview formats, which is perhaps the secret behind the show’s success with mainstream audiences.
The fact that you’re listening to a bunch of pool jocks talk shop doesn’t really sink in right away because of the tempo and often entertaining banter between the hosts. That the show has begun generating a buzz is something co-host Kelli Clancy is still trying to wrap her head around.
“I love being a part of the Talking Pools Podcast Network,” said Clancy, “I’m glad we can represent multiple areas of the country while helping our fellow pool pros grow. It’s been amazing seeing the success of our show grow on Apple Podcast. It is a reward to see our hard work appreciated by everyone. I hope we continue to be an influence on our industry members.”
Pool professional Heather Linton is immersed in the construction and remodeling side of the business. This is where she lends her expertise to the Talking Pools Podcast. Since joining the show, she’s received numerous requests from people to cover various subjects of interest.
“I enjoy our team as we all have different ideas and insights and experiences that can be helpful to others,” said Linton, “whether you’re a pool industry professional just starting out or have been in business for years. My focus is pool remodeling, pool construction, and business coaching. I’ve had several people call my office and ask me to do a certain topic or help them with a particular question.”
“Being a part of the Talking Pools Podcast has been one of the most fun and rewarding things that has come from my time in the pool industry,” said Co-Host Andrea Nannini, “not only do Rudy and I get to talk to some great people who are involved in all aspects of the swimming pool world, but I also get to learn along with our listeners.”
Andrea, who is often the ying to Rudy’s yang on the show, feels it’s their unique ability to offer their own insights and areas of experience from different sectors of the industry that distinguishes Talking Pools from other pool industry-related podcasts.
In this episode, Andrea interrupts Rudy #swimmingpool #poolcleaner #poolcleaningservice #swimmingpooldesign #swimmingpoolconstruction #swimmingpoolcontractor #podcast #podcasthost #podcastshow
“Heather, Kelli, and Dan each bring their own special elements and expertise to their shows,” said Nannini, “I think that having such a great group of people working together to bring people something entertaining and useful is why we made it to the top 50 on Apple podcasts. For me it’s still so amazing that so many people listen and enjoy what we wanted to do for them, and I am so grateful.”
Many of the topics that come up during the course of the show are issues pertaining to what is happening in the pool industry right now. You’ll find a running op-editorial column for Talking Pools right here on Pool Magazine.
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