Natural Swimming Pools: Let's make the switch-over!

Using chlorine to sterilize water isn’t the only way to swim. David Pagan Butler, the man who is credited to have done the first DIY natural swimming pool in Britain says, “If you want really healthy water, you want it full of life; not devoid of life.” That is exactly what a natural pool does. Instead of killing all the microorganisms, natural pools rely on a biodiversity of plants, grown around the water, to keep the water biologically clean and devoid of microorganisms. The water is as clean and safe as drinking water! It is essentially, a natural swimming pond that you are building, without any chemicals or odours. So how does the system work? It basically has two components; one is the swimming area and the other is the regeneration zone that consists of all the flora and fauna. 

An expert on natural pools, James Robyn, explains, “Regeneration zone plants feed hydroponically on the water. Additionally, there are aerobic and anaerobic bacteria in a biological filter and in the regeneration zone that take care of undesirable elements. Water passes through the filter, into the zone, and back into the swimming area, clarified and completely clean.” Since the principals of nature are used to filter out microorganisms, these pools are as healthy as it can get. In the absence of chemical, one might fear, still water being breeding ground for mosquitos in their pool. But, there will be no such issue as water is in a constant motion as it passes through the biological filter into the regeneration zone. Also the diverse ecology around the pool, includes fauna that predates on mosquitoes.

David Pagan Butler has found an economical way of building a natural pool. He uses minimal resources and incorporates reclaimed materials. He even makes the filters from reused household objects and domestic plumbing. The easiest and cheapest way of doing this pool is by simply digging a hole. Although a concrete pool can also be done. Once the hole is dug, it is important to make sure that water holds within. There are a couple ways of ensuring that depending on the soil type. One is a layer of bentonite clay and the other is a layer of synthetic material. The regeneration zone, must be equal to or greater than the swimming area and is separated using a wall. The water has to be circulated continuously to ensure proper filtering of pool water. There might be need to install pumps and aerate the water.

Natural swimming pools have numerous advantages and a definite upper hand over conventional pools. The energy consumption and costing of Natural swimming pools is lower than that of a traditional chemical pool.  By eliminating the use of chlorine and harmful chemicals, it does not only save the local environment but also money that goes into purchasing these chemicals. Naturally safe and hygienic water for swimming also means no health hazards that are posed by chlorinated water. Imagine the joy of swimming amidst an array of beautiful, vibrant, flowering plants! Not only does it benefit human health physically, but relaxes the mind as well. It makes swimming an experience to be one step closer to nature. These pools are nothing like the blue tiled pools we are used to seeing. In fact, they look like one of those untouched ponds we see whilst meandering the countryside. 

We can only imagine how wonderfully natural pools would lend themselves to landscape design - whether in a single family home, or large resorts. Certainly an idea worth exploring by landscape architects! While reducing the cost of building the filtration systems and of maintenance, the elimination of chlorine would be an answer to swimmers' woes!