Abstract: A topside control panel is described for controlling water features in a bathing unit system. The topside control panel comprises a housing having a generally circular housing portion including a display screen and a manually operable actuator positioned about a periphery of the housing portion. A circuit board assembly is positioned in the housing and includes one or more processors programmed for rendering a multi-layer menu driven interface on the display for controlling at least some water features of the bathing unit system, wherein at least one specific menu layer of the multi-layer menu driven interface presents options for controlling the one or more pumps. Navigation through the multi-layer menu driven interface is permitted by using signals triggered at least in part by a combination of displacements of the manually operable actuator to select specific user-selectable options to arrive at the specific menu layer presenting options for controlling the one or more pumps.