Natural Swimming Pools Explained
Natural Swimming Pools are a wonderful combination of a swimming pool and a naturally functioning wetland, creating a clean and chemical free environment for you to swim in and a wildlife attraction for your garden. They can bring an essence of Victorian England back to the country. A natural swimming pool can replace some of the ecological function lost with the vast destruction of wetlands and standing water around our country over the last century, whilst providing a unique, chemical free swimming experience in harmony with your natural surroundings.
Benefits:
- Clean, Clear Water (no mud, no chemicals)
- Affordable (similar cost as a conventional pool to build, but lower maintenance and running costs)
- Low maintenance (much less than a chemically treated pool)
- Year round beauty of a water garden (traditional pools can be unsightly, especially in winter)
- Increase in Property value (traditional pools can actually de-value property prices)
- Passive solar heating (for extended swimming opportunities)
- Water feature therapy
- Wildlife enhancement (the pool offers a habitat for many rare plants and animals)
- The pool can be used in the winter (e.g. ice-skating)
Design
The basic philosophy behind water quality in a conventional swimming pool is to kill everything short of killing the swimmer. There is another way. In a natural swimming pool we harness natures’ own processes to produce clean, clear water. Friendly bacteria keep the water balanced and clean, just as nature intended.
The swimming area is structurally distinct from the wetland, or ‘regeneration zone’, which is a shallow area containing a permeable substrate where friendly microorganisms (beneficial bacteria), reeds and nutrient hungry aquatic plants filter the water as it percolates through the bed.
Traditionally, swimming ponds require a fairly large water volume for stability, however our pools can be designed to fit any sized garden, from hotel grounds to small town houses. It should be emphasized here how important it is to maintain certain stringent design standards. Over 15 years of system development have allowed us to perfect the design of a natural swimming pool, making it robust to environmental influence and abuse by its owners. Highly regulated water circulation, as well as quality control on the choice of materials in the pool water and filter, are crucial for long-term water clarity and stability. Beware of swimming ponds built without a system, i.e. construction based on simple design criteria and basic planted gravel beds within the regeneration zone, they can be very unpredictable. Please read the Aquaviva pool page for more details on our system.
Construction
Wherever possible, construction of the pool will make use of either local supplies and/or reclaimed/recycled materials. For example, we would chose to employ replacement cement for concrete walls and footings, or recycled railway sleepers, should timber retaining walls be chosen for the swimming area. Often the choice of materials will be dictated by your location (i.e. local availability of recycled materials) in order that your costs are reduced and the sustainable nature of such a construction is maintained. As another example, you may chose to match any rockwork to your local geology.
A typical pool will take around 2-3 weeks to complete, depending on the level of technology and landscaping required. Groundwork preparation and installation of the watertight liner is carried out by specialist appointed contractors, ensuring best build quality.
Renewable energy options
A typical heated swimming pool uses more energy than consumed by the average 3 bed UK house. Renewable energy options can be added to heat the pool in an environmentally sustainable manner, as well as provide power to the pumps. Technologies available include ground source heat pumps, solar thermal panels, wind turbines and small scale biomass boilers. Renewable energy systems can also be designed and sized to meet the requirements of a nearby dwelling if requested.
Costs
Natural swimming pools tend to cost the same as conventional swimming pools (although you are less likely to choose a concrete pool), however, their maintenance and running costs are considerably less. Clear Water Revival can provide you with a proposal and quotation tailored to your exact requirements and location. Existing swimming pools can be converted into natural swimming pools at a lower cost to a new build, helping to turn an eyesore into a beautiful water garden.
Regeneration zone
