Top Pool Service and Swim School Companies for 2027: Official Rules
Version 2027-v1 · Effective September 28, 2026
1. Sponsor. Pool & Water Safety Accreditation Council ("PWSAC", "we"), 7901 4th St N, St Petersburg, FL 33702. Questions: nominations@pwsac.org.
2. What this is. A judged recognition program. PWSAC publishes an annual guide, "Top Pool Service and Swim School Companies for 2027," for each region it covers. Each regional guide names up to 15 nominated businesses, and up to 5 of them are selected as winners. Winners are chosen by judging. No element of chance is involved.
3. Who can take part. A business can be nominated if all of the following are true:
- It is an independently owned pool service or swim school business operating in the region. Franchise locations are not eligible.
- It maintains an average Google rating of 4.0 stars or higher.
- It has at least 10 public customer reviews.
- It is an active, operating business with an established web presence.
- It operates legally in the United States, and is represented by an owner or authorized officer who is 18 or older.
Our employees, contractors and their immediate families are not eligible. Void where prohibited.
4. How businesses are nominated. PWSAC nominates businesses that meet the criteria in section 3, based on public review data. Customers can also nominate a business at www.pwsac.org/nominate. Being nominated is free.
5. Accepting a nomination.
- A business nominated by email accepts by replying to the nomination email by the date stated in it (7 days after that email). If it asks, we extend the deadline once, by 7 more days. A business nominated by mail accepts on its nominee page within 14 days of receiving the letter.
- If we don't hear back by the deadline, the nomination lapses and the slot may go to another business.
- A nominee can withdraw its nomination at any time by telling us.
6. Completing the submission. After accepting, the nominee completes a short form on its nominee page: a short statement in its own words on what the local community means to the business (up to 600 characters), a few business details, and, if it wishes, a headshot and short answers about its community work and about safety. One submission per business.
No purchase or payment of any kind is required to be nominated, to accept, to submit, or to be selected.
7. How we judge. A panel appointed by PWSAC reviews each completed submission and considers:
- Public reputation: the business's Google star rating and its number of customer reviews.
- Responsiveness: how promptly the business accepted its nomination and completed its submission.
- Digital footprint and professionalism: the business's website and online presence, and how professionally it presents itself and communicates with customers and with us.
- Community: how the business treats and serves its local community, including its statement and community answers.
- Safety: the business's care for the safety of its customers and its staff.
- Verified standing with PWSAC: accredited members have passed PWSAC's verification, and the judges may weigh that verified standing favorably.
The judges consider these criteria together; no single criterion decides the outcome. The judges' decisions are final. We may name or select fewer businesses if too few complete submissions come in.
8. What winners receive. Each winner receives:
- A featured quote in PWSAC's 2027 guide, and inclusion in a press release sent to local papers and industry blogs
- An award plaque, shipped at no cost
- A digital seal showcasing the award, for the winner's website and profiles
- A showcase by PWSAC
- A $500 advertising credit with PWSAC, for Meta or Google Ads
Prizes can't be transferred or exchanged for cash. We may substitute a prize of equal or greater value. Winners are responsible for any taxes, and we may ask for tax information where the law requires it.
9. Membership pricing is separate. Every nominee may join PWSAC for $2,000 for 2 years, over 85% off the standard $14,000 membership price. Founding member spots are limited. This offer is not a prize and has no effect on judging, except through the verified-standing criterion disclosed in section 7.
10. Permission to publish. By submitting, the nominee gives PWSAC a non-exclusive, royalty-free permission to publish, display and lightly edit for length (without changing its meaning) its statement, business name and any photo it submits, in the guide, press releases, PWSAC's websites, social media and advertising, for as long as those materials remain published. A headshot is used only if the statement is selected as a featured quote. We may choose not to publish a submission.
11. Photos. Submit only photos you have the right to share. No identifiable minors: photos showing children's faces won't be used. Everyone identifiable in a photo must have agreed to appear in it.
12. Fair play. We may disqualify a submission that is false, offensive, infringing or plagiarized, or that was made with automated or fraudulent methods.
13. Winner notification. We notify winners by email or phone when the winners for their region are selected. A winner who doesn't respond within the time stated in that notice may forfeit, and we may select another business.
14. Privacy. We use the information you submit to run this program, as described in our privacy policy. You can ask us to stop contacting you at any time; reply "pass" to any of our emails.
15. General terms. By taking part, each business agrees to these rules and releases PWSAC from claims arising from the program, to the extent the law allows. These rules are governed by the laws of the state where the Sponsor is located. If a part of these rules can't be enforced, the rest still applies. We may update these rules; the version and effective date above show which version applies.
16. Winners list. Published on this page after the winners are selected, or available by mail from the Sponsor's address.