About Aquaticus
Built by pool builders, for pool builders. We understand the challenges of watershape estimation because we've lived them.
Our Story
Aquaticus was born from a simple observation on the job site: the pool industry needed better tools for gathering accurate project data from the very start. Too often, critical calculations were scattered across spreadsheets, napkin notes, and tribal knowledge passed down through generations. We knew there had to be a better way.
By combining decades of hands-on pool building experience with modern software engineering, we set out to create a platform that brings precision and efficiency to watershape professionals. Every formula in Aquaticus has been developed and validated by industry experts who understand what it takes to build exceptional pools.
Our Team
Billy Drakeley III
Founder & CEO
As a fourth-generation pool builder, Billy grew up immersed in the watershape industry. He is co-owner of Drakeley Pool Company, specializing in high-end residential and commercial shotcrete watershapes throughout Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts.
Through years of hands-on experience, Billy recognized a persistent challenge in the industry: the need for more accurate and concentrated data gathering at the start of each project. This insight became the foundation for Aquaticus.
Billy brings a unique perspective to the platform, combining his deep pool construction expertise with his background as a CFA charterholder. This blend of financial analysis and industry knowledge drives the precision and practicality built into every aspect of Aquaticus.
Advisory Board
David Peterson, P.E.
President/CEO, Watershape Consulting, Inc.
David Peterson is President/CEO of Watershape Consulting, Inc., an international planning, design, and engineering firm serving owners, architects, contractors, and the legal profession with services relating to residential, commercial, and institutional pools, spas, and water features.
He earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and is a registered engineer in several states. Peterson began his career in the watershape industry in 1994, designing life support systems for large aquariums and marine mammal exhibits. He later served as Vice President of Engineering at Polaris Pool Systems, where he developed and patented several products.
Peterson reorganized the Genesis 3 Design Group into GENESIS® University in 2012. When GENESIS merged with the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF) in 2016, he became Director of Education, a position he held until co-founding Watershape University.
Bill Drakeley
Principal & Founder, Drakeley Pool Company
Bill Drakeley is a third-generation pool builder and a recognized leader in the North American concrete construction industry. He is the first and only pool builder to serve as a Voting Member on the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Committee 506 Shotcrete, and currently serves as Chairman of the ACI Pool Shotcrete Subcommittee. He is also a former president of the American Shotcrete Association.
A passionate advocate for high industry standards through education and training, Bill's technical writings have been widely published. He co-founded Watershape University with David Peterson, P.E. to provide the highest quality live instruction to students in the watershape industry.
Bill holds Swimming Pool Builder (SPB), Home Improvement Contractor (HIC), and Plumbing & Piping Limited Contractor (SP-1) licenses. He is a member of the International Watershape Institute (IWI) and managing member of Drakeley Industries, an international consulting firm specializing in shotcrete applications—including training for NYC MTA subway tunneling projects, the Washington DC First Street Tunnel, and the Hudson River Water Tunnel project.
Partnered with Watershape University
Our close collaboration with Watershape University—the industry's premier educational institution founded by David Peterson and Bill Drakeley—ensures that Aquaticus is built on a foundation of proven engineering principles and best practices. The same rigorous standards that define Watershape University's curriculum are embedded directly into our platform's algorithms and calculations, giving you confidence that your project data reflects industry-leading fundamentals.