The UK's First and Only Indoor Natural Swimming Pool
In July 2011 Clear Water Revival built the first indoor natural swimming pool using our state-of-the-art bio reactor technology. With a planted area of only 8% required, this can be located in or outside the building depending on light availability.
The pool in the images to the right is heated to 28°C and has a children's paddling area as well as a water fall returning the naturally filtered water from the planted area to the swimming pool.
The entire system is extremely flexible and can be fitted to meet the needs of pretty much any design so if you are looking for an indoor swimming pool then why not make it a natural one.
Up until now, the luxury of Natural Swimming Pools and Ponds have only been available to those willing to swim outdoors, which in the UK is a chilly experience in the winter months. However, in 2011 a Natural Swimming Pool company in Bristol has taken another step forward and made history installing the first indoor natural swimming pool in the UK.
Clear Water Revival has been leading innovation in the design and build of natural swimming pools in the UK since 2006. Drawing on experience from colleagues in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, they are meeting the demands for low energy, chemical free living and a home that functions in harmony with the environment.
In recent months, research in Spain has again found links between chlorine and cancer that builds on evidence suggesting a tendency for chlorine to increase the rate of bladder cancer as well as triggering asthma and eczema symptoms.
In particular, enclosed spaces such as traditional public chlorine swimming pools, can lead to a significant increase in atmospheric chlorine gas levels, which can greatly magnify chlorine related health risks.
With such concerns fueling the rise in popularity of natural swimming pools, Clear Water Revival’s chemical free indoor natural pool system is a welcome development for indoor public and private pools alike.
David Nettleton, a director at Clear Water Revival, explains, “Traditionally, Natural Swimming Pools rely on the action of aquatic plants and a thriving pond ecosystem. The lack of sunlight and organic input as well as a large space for planted areas used to mean natural filtration processes were not reliable indoors, but with some clever innovation we’ve developed a system that thrives in an indoor environment.”
Their first indoor pool is being developed in Tregulland, a small village in Cornwall. David continues, ”Its part of a holiday let complex available to hire for groups of up to 22 people, so the pool will have quite heavy use. Our new system of natural filtration has much stricter design criteria compared to the open, wild looking designs typical of natural swimming pools; wildlife and most importantly algae, must have no part in the indoor pool. Our filtration systems do not rely on aquatic plants to keep the water clean and therefore our unique modular filtration units are compact and perform extremely well in heated indoor environments.”
As a result of these new advances to naturally cleansed pool water, it is possible to create pools that are indistinguishable from the common chlorine pool. With drinkable water, similar in quality to that from a mountain spring, they combine the stylistic and comfort demands of the conventional swimming pool customer but with eco friendly technology. The biggest and most notable surprise though is that this chemical free environment boasts crystal clear conditions without the wealth of creepy crawlies found in your average pond.
So how have they achieved this? David explains, “Well it’s all down to some friendly bacteria that grow in the filtration unit of this pool and as the water is pumped by they slowly take up all the nutrients from the water locking away naturally occurring phosphates and nitrates, leaving nothing for the harmful bacteria or unsightly algae that attempt to grow in any pool.”
Running costs are also significantly reduced, there is no need for chlorine dosing, or energy intensive UV filters, while energy costs are typically 10 times lower than that of a conventional swimming pool, thanks to a highly efficient, low energy pump.
David continues, “In essence Clear Water Revival’s system represents a breakthrough in the whole swimming experience by combining the stylistic and comfort demands of the conventional swimming pool customer with eco friendly technology.”
With 50% of pools in Germany now being built as a traditional swimming pond, it won’t be long before you find yourself going to a leisure centre here in the UK and enjoying the experience of swimming without chemicals or salt just clean and clear naturally filtered water.
