When 5 massive wildfires tore through Southern California this January, Maitland Ward’s Camarillo home barely escaped the flames that ravaged Malibu. But her 30-year-old pool wasn’t so lucky. Toxic ash, charred debris, and chemical runoff transformed the once-sparkling oasis into a “black abyss” Maitland faced a choice: drain her pool and endure weeks of pricey renovations, or take a leap of faith with a radical new solution.

“I stood there staring at this nightmare,” recalls Maitland, her voice still tinged with disbelief. “The water was thick with carcinogenic particles. My old Hayward DE system couldn’t handle a leaf – let alone this apocalypse.”

A Lifeline Emerges from the Smoke

Hope arrived through an unexpected channel—Rebecca Brand, a lifestyle creator whose YouTube channel had quietly amassed 209,000 subscribers. In November 2024, Rebecca posted a video about Poolmate Hydro 4 featuring her personal experience with the robot's powerful cleaning performance. The episode gained over 43,000 views. Maitland watched as Rebecca demonstrated Poolmate Hydro 4's promise "This isn’t just another gadget—it’s about proving ordinary people can tackle extraordinary messes.”

Hearing about the devastating effect the wildfire had on Maitland's backyard and pool, Rebecca offered her personal Hydro 4 unit to help.

0 to 98% Clarity in 1 Hour

The transformation was nothing short of cinematic. Within minutes of activating the Hydro 4, the pool’s bottom began to shimmer. By the one-hour mark, the robot’s treads carved through thick ash, while its dual filters disgorging clear bubbles “It was like watching a magic eraser glide across a canvas.”  Ward describes.

Here’s where the story takes a jaw-dropping turn: Unlike her old robot, which pathetically floundered at the pool’s edges, the Hydro 4 scaled her 12-foot walls like Spider-Man, leaving no speck of ash untouched. “It even polished the waterline—something I’d given up on years ago,” Maitland marvels.