Natural Swimming Pools

SWIMMING LIKE A EUROPEAN:

A Primer for Designing Natural Swimming Pools in the U�S�

by TRISTAN FIELDS, June 12, 2014 Project Chair: Rob Ribe

PROJECT APPROVAL Student: Tristan Fields Title: SWIMMING LIKE A EUROPEAN: A Primer for Designing Natural Swimming Pools in the United States Submitted in partial fulfillment for the Master of Landscape Architecture, Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Oregon

Rob Ribe, Project Chair

Deni Ruggeri, Committee Member

Roxi Thoren, Committee Member

Chris Enright, Committee Member

Cover Image Source: “Found in Mom’s Basement.” ‘Found in Mom’s Basement’ 27 Oct. 2008. Web. 17 May 2014.

ABSTRACT Although chlorine swimming pools are pervasive in the American culture, there is increasing evidence showing that exposure to chlorine has long-term negative health effects.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that there are currently close to ten and a half million swimming pools in the United States, eighty-five percent of which use chlorine (National Swimming Pool Foundation). Even the “healthy” alternatives to chlorine swimming pools, such as saline pools, often rely on chemicals that are potentially harmful to health.

European companies have created new sanitation technologies for pools that rely on limnology (the study of inland waters) and phytotechnology (engineering solutions using ecosystems). The water quality in these ecologically based swimming pools has proven to meet strict sanitation regulations with little to no health risks.

The benefits of Natural Swimming Pools (NSPs) far outweigh the negative impacts of chlorine systems. While having similar construction costs, NSPs have lower long-term maintenance costs and an ecosystem value, making NSPs a high-value alternative to chlorine systems.

This project seeks to disseminate information about how NSPs work and the variety of typologies of NSPs available for private home installation. A comprehensive literature review classifies the different levels of technology used in NSPs in various situations. In addition, an evaluation of cost, construction and maintenance presents generic models of NSP’s systems. This information is synthesized to create new typologies of NSPs for construction and retrofitting of private natural swimming pools in the United States. Each typology receives an identity that may be easily matched with a prospective client.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thank you to all of you who spent time: - Talking with me about natural pools: all of my cohort, Dr. Rob Ribe, Dr. Chris Enright, Robert Melnick, and my family.

- Explaining how natural pools work: Allan Weene (BioNova), Jim Patchett (Conservation Design Forum), Michelle Taute (Freelance Journalist), and Morgan Brown (Whole Water Systems).

- Giving me tours of their facilities, loaning me books, and explaining the intricacies of chlorine swimming pools: Jeff Fryer of Leighton Pool and Quentin Hogan of Willamalane.

Thank you in particular, Timothy Witten and Martina Aigner, of Biotop, for supporting my research into this very proprietary subject.

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image source: Marc Slootmaekers (VanHoof)

This work is dedicated to all United States swimmers.

May we swim in health, happiness, and ecological bounty.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 ����������������������������������������������������� 1 HYDROPHILIA

Chapter 2 ������������������������������������������������� 15 UBIQUITOUS CHLORINE

Chapter 3 ����������������������������������������������� 29 THE BODY & THE LAKE

Chapter 4 ����������������������������������������������� 37 THE TROPHIC CYCLE & THE POOL

Chapter 5 ������������������������������������������������� 51 LOST IN TRANSLATION

Chapter 6 ����������������������������������������������� 79 THE LOAD

Chapter 7 ����������������������������������������������� 93 CONCLUSION

Appendix A ��������������������������������������������� 97 LOST IN TRANSLATION, NSP REFERENCES

Glossary of terms ���������������������������� 104

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LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1: THE CHEMICAL PROCESS ��������������������������������������������������������������������9 FIGURE 2: YOUR HEALTH & CHLORINE ���������������������������������������������������������������� 10

FIGURE 3: THE EVOLUTION OF THE POOL ��������������������������������������������������������27 FIGURE 4: THE SUCCESSIONAL STAGES OF THE LAKE ��������������������������������� 33 FIGURE 5: THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE ����������������������������������������������������������������� 34 FIGURE 6: THE TROPHIC CYCLE �������������������������������������������������������������������������35 FIGURE 7: PHOTOSYNTHESIS ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 43 FIGURE 8: THE SEDIMENT CYCLE ���������������������������������������������������������������������� 44 FIGURE 9: THE REGENERATION ZONE ��������������������������������������������������������������� 45 FIGURE 10: SCHEMATIC OF THE STANDARD CHLORINE POOL ����������������������� 46 FIGURE 11: SCHEMATIC OF TYPE III NATURAL SWIMMING POOL �������������������47 FIGURE 12: PH RANGE OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS ��������������������������������������������� 49 FIGURE 13: TYPE I

NSP - THE MAVERICK ������������������������������������������������������� 56

FIGURE 14: TYPE II NSP - THE GARDENER ������������������������������������������������������� 60 FIGURE 15: TYPE III NSP - THE DIPLOMAT ������������������������������������������������������ 64 FIGURE 16: TYPE IV NSP - THE INITIATOR ������������������������������������������������������ 68 FIGURE 17: TYPE V NSP - THE MODERNIST ������������������������������������������������������72 FIGURE 18: MINIMUM TOTAL AREA REQUIREMENTS: VISUAL COMPARISON 76 FIGURE 19: COMPARISON TABLE OF POOL TYPES ������������������������������������������ 76 FIGURE 20: MAINTENANCE TABLE - A BRIEF OVERVIEW �������������������������������77 FIGURE 21: AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE ESTC ���������������������������������������������������� 83 FIGURE 22: THE DIPLOMAT CONCEPT I - RETAINING INFRASTRUCTURE ����85 FIGURE 23: NORTH/SOUTH SECTION OF THE ESTC RETROFIT ��������������������� 86 FIGURE 24: THE DIPLOMAT RETROFIT CLOSE-UP �������������������������������������������87 FIGURE 25: THE DIPLOMAT CONCEPT II - RETAINING SWIMMER LOAD ������� 91

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VI

Chapter 1 HYDROPHILIA

Definition of Terms CHLORINE “[A] chemical element with symbol Cl… the most common compound of chlorine [is] sodium chloride (common salt)” and it is the “21st most abundant chemical element in the Earth’s crust” (Chlorine).

ELECTRON A stable subatomic particle with a charge of negative electricity, found in all atoms and acting as the primary carrier of electricity in solids.

HYDROCHLORIC ACID (HYDROGEN CHLORIDE) A clear, colorless, fuming, poisonous, highly acidic aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride, HCl, used as a chemical intermediate and in petroleum production, ore reduction, food processing, pickling, and metal cleaning. It is found in the stomach in dilute form. Formerly called: muriatic acid (Hydrochloric).

HYPOCHLOROUS ACID “[A] weak acid with the chemical formula HOCl. It forms when chlorine dissolves in water, and it is HOCl that actually does the disinfection when chlorine is used to disinfect water for human use” (Hypochlorous).

MICROBE/MICROORGANISM/ MICROBIAL A microscopic organism, esp. a bacterium, virus, or fungus.

OXIDATION Oxidation is a chemical process of an agent, such as hydrochloric acid, gaining electrons from other elements.

PH “[A] measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline. Pure water has pH very close to 7” (pH).

The Bridge The landscape architect’s primary role is to facilitate man’s relationship with the natural world, serving both ecological and psychological dimensions. The swimming pool, as a contained body of water, crosses the boundaries of primordial beginnings, luxury, and ritual. In the modern environmental crisis, the pool can provide even more opportunities, becoming ecological patches. If swimming pools have potential ecological value as wetland habitat they have the potential of creating patterns of wetlands across the landscape. Recognizing the dangers of current dependency on chlorine and the long-term hazardous health effects is the first step to creating change.

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Relevance, Motivation, & Significance MAN’S POWER OVER WATER

Water is power. Water supports the world.

Water erodes the world. We are water. We depend on water. More specifically, we depend on clean water. Clean water is the essence of life. Clean water is defined as water that sustains life. Water is symbolic. Water is religious. Water is anointed. Water washes away humanity’s sins. And though humanity cherishes water, we have become careless.

Rachel Carson wrote, “in an age when man has forgotten his origins and is blind even to his most essential needs for survival, water along with other resources has become the victim of his indifference” (Carson). Water is neglected.

Water is finite. Climate change, population growth, and pollution have amplified our potentially catastrophic relationship with water.

We no longer have the luxury of indifference.

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Water is a primary tool of the landscape architect. Water shapes, forms, and defines the landscape. We use water. Water adds movement, life, peace, and desire to our designs. As early as the Chinese Xia Dynasty (2070 -1600 BCE), Yu the Great is known for managing the Yellow River’s flooding. “A Ming Dynasty commentator remarked many centuries later that, ‘the shifts of the Yellow River seem to be guided by some god, and not to be something in which human efforts can be involved’” (Fagan 223). Yu the Great harnessed the power of water and showed that in well-designed landscapes the landscape architect’s influence disappears into a natural scene. The use and manipulation of water has evolved little over the centuries. Water was and is channeled, restrained, harnessed, and worshiped.

HYDROPHILIC CONFESSIONS

Water lures me with its seductive powers.

My blood sings and urges me to submerge, immerse, and plunge into the beauty of its silence. Water is a drug. A physiological need tied into a ritualistic embodiment. From the smallest puddle to the coldest winter lake, the call of water reaches out to me and I will inevitably strip down and dive in. In my day-today life, the opportunity to take the plunge is minimal, unless there is a water body directly in my path. Swimming pools are custom-built plunging opportunities - socially acceptable, safe in all seasons, and open at most hours.

As I become a landscape architect, the swimming pool’s seductive allure increases.

Here is an opportunity to create and design an iconic object in the landscape. Swimming pools do not hold the same power in our society that they did in societies of old, when

Swimming Pool Dreams, a series of photographs I took, embodies the essence of the submerged landscape of the pool. This one draws the viewer over the edge.

image source: Swimming pool dreams, by Tristan Fields

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image source: Swimming pool dreams, by Tristan Fields

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swimming was the focus of social conventions and part of hygienic and spiritual rituals. In American society, the backyard pool is a frill, a lark, an exclusive place to hang out with friends – a luxury item. As population increases, cities condense; there is an opportunity for the swimming pool to become a revered place as in the past. The swimming pool has the potential to become the hub of play, fitness, health, and community. It is a place where young and old blend seamlessly, the buoyancy of water becoming the great equalizer. The weight of old age lightens and the power of youth is diminished when submerged. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes swimming as “ the fourth most popular recreational activity in the United

States” (US Census).

Swimming pools, a luxury item in today’s culture, may seem insignificant in the environmental crisis. However, the CDC states that there are approximately 10.5 million swimming pools in the United States. At 12’ x 30’, the average swimming pool holds 16,157 gallons of water.

Multiplied by 10.5 million swimming pools, that’s 169,000,000,000 gallons of swimming pool water in the United States alone. That is a lot of water! Now, consider that swimming pools are often treated with toxic chemicals.

In fact, 95% of swimming pools in the United States are treated with chlorine, translating to 161,000,000,000 gallons of chlorinated water. Now that’s a lot of toxic water!

10.5 * = 95%

MILLION POOLS IN THE U.S.

OF ALL U.S. POOLS (95% USE CHLORINE) Another image from the photo series Swimming Pool Dreams. Looking up through the water, the act of being submerged brings up the primordial feelings of beginnings and the calm of the underwater world.

~161

BILLION GALLONS OF TOXIC WATER

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Thus, while swimming pools have lost some of their ritualistic power, they still need to become a topic of interest in the environmental movement due to the sheer quantity of toxic water involved.

Accessing, cleaning, and rehabilitating water is the mantra of the coming age. The age of water, a time of water worship, is burgeoning in our culture. The landscape architect must be there to embrace and consecrate its coming to power in design.

CHLORINE

I learned to swim at age seven and started competitively swimming at the age of nine. I spent my summers swimming up to three hours a day, and my evenings, throughout the year, were spent in the pool, two hours a night, five days a week. I swam through high school and into college. After college, I took a short breather before I started swimming with masters teams. In total, I have 32 years of experience in the pool. If you average about one hour a day (factoring in my hiatuses), five days a week, 260 days a year, multiplied by 32 years, that is equivalent to 8,320 hours or 346 days — almost a full year of my life spent

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in a chlorine pool. According to the USDA, this is the same amount of time I have spent eating food (Hamrick). That is a lot of time swimming, considering that swimming is a non-essential activity. I know swimming. And I know chlorine swimming pools in a visceral, instinctive way.

After an hour in a chlorine pool, the chlorine permeates your entire body. The next day, as you sweat, chlorine wafts from your pores.

Chlorine is the perfume of swimmers. But what is chlorine, this substance that becomes an integral part of the American swimmer’s bodily ecosystem?

Chlorine is the 21st most abundant chemical element in the Earth’s crust. As a gas, chlorine becomes extremely toxic; it damages the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs and, in high concentrations, causes death by asphyxiation.

In World War I, Germany used chlorine as a chemical warfare weapon. Thousands of soldiers were killed before the defending armies realized that chlorine gas dissolves in liquid and is heavier than air. By staying upright and putting cloths soaked in a water solution

+

water

chlorine gas hydrochloric acid & hypochlorous acid H2O + Cl2 HCl + HClO

of baking soda over their faces, the soldiers were able to render the chlorine gas almost inert. Asphyxiation caused by high doses of chlorine gas occurs when water in the lungs mixes with chlorine to form hydrochloric acid; the hydrochloric acid then eats away at the tissues in the lungs (Chemical).

This mixing of chlorine gas and water is the same process that is used to sanitize swimming pools. As the pool water circulates, small doses of chlorine gas are added to the incoming water and two acids are created: Hydrochloric acid and Hypochlorous acid, commonly called muriatic acid and bleach, respectively (Williams 10-4) (see Figure 1: The Chemical Process). The acids in the water combat the microbial hazards in the swimming

Figure 1: The Chemical Process

pool through a process of oxidation, which, in simple terms, destroys the microbial cell walls. By eliminating the microbial hazards, swimmers are less likely to pass each other colds, infections, and pathogenic microorganisms that commonly thrive in moist, warm conditions like the swimming pool environment (Bonnick).

To make the pool safe for swimmers, a delicate balance is established between chlorine and pH. If the pool becomes too acidic, it becomes dangerous for swimmers, eating away at the skin and the soft tissues in the eyes, nose, mouth, and lungs. Too alkaline, the water becomes caustic while the chlorine is rendered inert and the pool becomes a cesspool for pathogens (Williams 10-5).

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GREEN HAIR FROM ALGAECIDE POOR AIR QUALITY DECREASES HEALTH OF INDOOR POOL WORKERS

INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR DIGESTIVE DISORDERS

ITCHY RASHES, DRY, FLAKY SKIN & INCREASED SIGNS OF AGING

RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS IN EARLY AGE SWIMMERS LOTION BYPRODUCTS FROM CHLORINE MIXING SHOW SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN CANCER

Figure 2: Your Health & Chlorine 10

image source: “The Reality Behind Mad Men’s Vintage Jantzen Swimsuit Ads.” Jezebel. N. p., n.d. Web.

7 Feb. 2014.

HEALTH

With a basic understanding of how chlorine works we begin to understand how chlorine affects the human body in the swimming pool.

Each leader in Figure 2: Your Health & Chlorine is described and documented on the following pages. It illustrates how from the top of your head to deep in your intestinal tract, swimming pool water becomes part of your bodily system.

If the pool water contains chlorine, you may find yourself developing wrinkles, asthma, or cancer.

GREEN HAIR Copper-based algaecides are often used to combat the effects of algae growth in chlorinated swimming pools. Besides eye and skin irritation, the algaecide has the ability to turn your hair green (Murray). In addition to turning your hair green, chlorine is notorious for creating dry and brittle hair (Nganvongpanit).

RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS Children under seven years of age whose cumulative experience in chlorinated swimming pools exceeds 60 hours have shown a significant increase in respiratory problems,

primarily allergies and asthma (Voisin; LobCorzilius).

CANCER Disinfectant byproducts are caused when chlorine and lotions mix. These byproducts include bromate, trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids, and halobenzoquinones. Adverse health effects from breathing, drinking and absorbing these chemicals include reproductive or developmental effects and bladder, rectal, and colon cancer (EPA; Wang 2013; Bessonneau 2011; Maia 2014; Richardson 2010).

COLD-LIKE SYMPTOMS Indoor chlorinated swimming pools trap a high concentration of airborne trichloramine (NCI3). Pool workers, including lifeguards, administration and maintenance staff, experience frequent and lengthy exposure to the elevated levels of trichloramine. This prolonged exposure can cause red and itchy eyes, runny nose, and voice loss, making you feel like you have a constant cold (Fantuzzi 2013; Fernandez-Luna 2013).

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DIGESTIVE DISORDERS Chlorine is touted as the cheapest way to sanitize a swimming pool. However, against many organisms such as Cryptosporidium, chlorine fails. In addition to this failure, any variance in pH or in free chlorine (the amount of chemically free chlorine) could render chlorine inert and expose bathers to outbreaks of diseases. Each of these exposures may lead to severe intestinal discomfort and, in worst case scenarios, death (World Health Organization 2006; Jaslow 2013).

ITCHY RASHES, DRY, FLAKY SKIN, & INCREASED SIGNS OF AGING Chlorine reacts with water to produce acids.

When the acids contact skin they are corrosive, and damage cells, causing rashes and dry, flaky skin. The dry cracked skin has a tendency to form wrinkles (Gardinier 2009; Discovery).

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There are millions of swimming pools in the United States, and the majority use chlorine as a primary sanitation tool. Chlorine is a corrosive chemical that has effects on the environment and health. Is the use of chlorine worth the risks? For people concerned about health what are the options? Give up on swimming? Or develop alternative ways of building swimming pools that do not compromise health or the environment? European companies have created sanitation technology for pools that relies on limnology (the study of inland waters) and phytotechnology (engineering solutions using ecosystems).

The water quality in these ecologically driven swimming pools has proven to meet strict sanitation regulations with little to no health risks. These pools also add to environmental health by providing wetland habitat. With water as clean as a mountain lake, they have no proven health side effects. So why is chlorine still so prevalent in the United States?

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Works Cited Bessonneau, Vincent et al. “Determinants of Chlorination by-Products in Indoor Swimming Pools.”

International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 215.1 (2011): 76–85. ISI Web of Knowledge. Web Bonnick, David M. “Swimming Pool Disinfection: Techniques and Pitfalls.” Water Conditioning and Purification International (2006): 32. Print.

Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. Boston: Mariner Books/Houghton Mifflin, 2012. Print. Original copyright 1962.

“Chemical Weapons in World War I.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 5 Apr. 2014. Wikipedia.

Web. 5 Apr. 2014.

“Chlorine.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 11 Feb. 2014. Wikipedia. Web. 13 Feb. 2014.

“Discovery Health ‘How Does Chlorine Affect Skin?’” Discovery Fit and Health. http://health. howstuffworks.com/skin-care/beauty/skin-and-lifestyle/chlorine-affect-skin.htm, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2014.

“EPA | Envirofacts | ICR.” http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/icr/dbp_health.html, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2014.

Fagan, Brian. Elixir: A History of Water and Humankind. New York: Bloomsbury Press, 2011. Print.

Fantuzzi, Guglielmina et al. “Airborne Trichloramine (NCl3) Levels and Self-Reported Health Symptoms in Indoor Swimming Pool Workers: Dose-Response Relationships.” Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology 23.1 (2013): 88–93. ISI Web of Knowledge. Web. Fernandez-Luna, Alvaro et al. “Chlorine concentrations in the air of indoor swimming pools and their effects on swimming pool workers.” Gaceta Sanitaria 27.5 (2013): 411–417. ISI Web of Knowledge. Web. Gardinier, Sophie et al. “Variations of Skin Biophysical Properties after Recreational Swimming.”

Skin Research and Technology 15.4 (2009): 427–432. ISI Web of Knowledge. Web. Hamrick, K., Hopkins, D., & McClelland, K. “USDA Economic Research Service - Data Feature: How Much Time Do Americans Spend Eating.” N. p., 1 June 2008. Web. 4 Apr. 2014.

“Hydrochloric Acid.” TheFreeDictionary.com. N. p., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2014.

“Hypochlorous Acid.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 5 Apr. 2014. Wikipedia. Web. 5 Apr. 2014.

Jaslow, Ryan. CBS News. May, 2013, and 3:34 Pm. “CDC Finds Public Swimming Pools Rife with Fecal Contamination.” N. p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2014.

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Lob-Corzilius, T., and S. Boese-O’Reilly. “Asthma and baby swimming.” Allergologie 36.11 (2013): 510–514. ISI Web of Knowledge. Web. Maia, Raquel et al. “Optimization of HS-SPME Analytical Conditions Using Factorial Design for Trihalomethanes Determination in Swimming Pool Water Samples.” Microchemical Journal 112 (2014): 164–171. ISI Web of Knowledge. Web. Murray, Patricia, an ehow Contributor. “Can You Swim With Algaecide?” eHow. http://www.ehow. com/facts_7677398_can-swim-algaecide.html, n.d. Web. 7 Feb. 2014.

Nganvongpanit, Korakot, and Terdsak Yano. “Side Effects in 412 Dogs from Swimming in a Chlorinated Swimming Pool.” Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine 42.3 (2012): 281–286. Print. “pH.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 30 Mar. 2014. Wikipedia. Web. 5 Apr. 2014.

Richardson, Susan D. et al. “What’s in the Pool? A Comprehensive Identification of Disinfection ByProducts and Assessment of Mutagenicity of Chlorinated and Brominated Swimming Pool Water.”

Environmental Health Perspectives 118.11 (2010): 1523–1530. ISI Web of Knowledge. Web. US Census Bureau. “Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2012. Arts, Recreation, and Travel: Participation in Selected Sports Activities”. 2009.

Voisin, Catherine, Antonia Sardella, and Alfred Bernard. “Risks of New-Onset Allergic Sensitization and Airway Inflammation after Early Age Swimming in Chlorinated Pools.” International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 217.1 (2014): 38–45. ISI Web of Knowledge. Web. Wang, Wei et al. “Halobenzoquinones in Swimming Pool Waters and Their Formation from Personal Care Products.” Environmental Science & Technology 47.7 (2013): 3275–3282. ISI Web of Knowledge. Web. Williams, Kent G et al. The Aquatic Facility Operator Manual. Hoffman Estates, Ill.: National Recreation & Park Association, National Aquatic Branch, 1999. Print.

World Health Organization. “Guidelines for Safe Recreational Water Environments, Volume 2 Swimming Pools and Similar Environments”. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2006. Open WorldCat. Web. 8 Feb. 2014.

Chapter 2 UBIQUITOUS CHLORINE

Definition of Terms ARTIFICIAL Made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally, typically as a copy of something natural.

RIVER POOL Enclosed structures, typically wooden, built in a river, which use circulation of river water as a sanitation method.

CHOLERA “[A]n infection of the small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholera” and transmitted by contaminated food and water (Cholera).

SWIMMING The sport or activity of propelling oneself through water using the limbs.

NATATORIUM “[A] building containing a swimming pool” (Cholera).

SWIMMING POOL An artificial body of water used for swimming.

The Arch

Ancient cultures did not use chlorine or other chemicals for sanitation, but instead they situated their bathing pools near springs and rivers. The springs and rivers served as a circulation tool, flushing out the pools with clean water. Before indoor plumbing, the United States adopted the same pool system. Lack of wastewater treatments in our cities dirtied the common waters, and so pools were moved into contained basins. In the late 1800s, American scientists discovered chlorine to be the cheapest, most effective way to sanitize the water. Over 100 years later, chlorine is still the most prevalent sanitation tool. Why?

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UNITED STATES SWIMMING POOLS

Ancient Romans were building bathing facilities with lead and clay piping as early as 800 BC (Sanitation). The Ancient Roman infrastructure still influences many of today’s European cities. The United States, with no inherited infrastructure like European cultures, serves as interesting case study for the research on the of evolution of the swimming pool.

In the late 1800s, people immigrated to the United States en masse. The majority of people came from Germany, Ireland, and England, entering the United States by the “Golden Door” of New York City and settling on the Eastern seaboard (Immigration). By 1880, New York City’s population had rocketed to 1, 206,299 people, Philadelphia to 847,170 people and Boston to 362,839 people. Just 20 years later, in 1900, New York City’s population had almost tripled reaching 3,437,202 people; Philadelphia: 1,293,697 people; and Boston: 560,892 people (Division).

Concerns of modesty and charity instigated the 18

building of the first public swimming pool in the 1860s in Boston, Massachusetts (Wiltse). With European immigrants came the culture of the Victorian era, including distinct class divisions, segregated neighborhoods, and a strict moral standard of “decency, which emphasized modesty and self-restraint” (Wiltse 15). This mode of decency was difficult to uphold in the cities with no plumbing or sewer systems.

Only the wealthy could maintain true Victorian standards of decency by installing indoor plumbing. The cities’ poor were forced to use nearby waterways for day-to-day sanitation needs. Thus, people taking a stroll along the edge of the river were often greeted with the sight of people’s naked bodies as they bathed and frolicked in the water. The majority of the offenders were men and boys, but once in a while, the sight of a woman enjoying a nude plunge affronted the passersby.

An 1845 study by physician John H. Griscom, called The Sanitary Condition of the Laboring Population of New York, emphasizes the squalor that the poor were living in and points a finger at these same places as “pestiferous

places,” claiming they served as a “significant health risk… to citizens of all classes who resided or worked in the city” (Wiltse 18).

Also at this time, cholera pandemics swept the world, leaving millions of people dead.

Common beliefs of the late 1800s were that the disease was caused by vapors from the unclean, such as the city’s poor (Wiltse). Urban citizens developed a great fear of the unclean and started pouring funds into the development of public bathing institutions. During the summer of 1866, Boston built six public baths, five of which were river baths.

The river baths “[w]ere enclosed wooden structures, with wooden tanks submerged into the Charles River that measured fifteen feet wide, twenty-five feet long, and four feet deep. The boards that composed the tanks were spaced with one to two inch gaps to allow the river water to flow in and out naturally” (Wiltse 20).

These pools were highly used: in the course of the first summer, Boston recorded 436,00 bathers. During the icy cold winters of Boston,

the river baths closed. To accommodate yearround bathing, Boston built the United States’ first indoor municipal pool. Using the same principals as the river pool, but using the Cochituate waterway, water was pumped through the pool. Within the first two months of operation, the pool used 2.7 million gallons of water (Wiltse 22). This new municipal pool had the unfortunate consequence (unfortunate in the eyes of the city council) of attracting children as the primary users. The extreme expense of flushing the pool and the lack of adult participation led to the pool to close after only 11 years of use.

At the same time, Philadelphia experienced a similar growth pattern with pools. Several river pools were built near slums and, to increase bathing opportunities, several in-ground pools were built within working class neighborhoods.

Despite the city council’s good intentions, the pools were not functioning as intended. Though the pools were well used, an 1889 study of Philadelphia pools found the bathers filthy and the pool waters murky (Wiltse). Adolescent boys were the largest percentage of participants;

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men were the second most frequent bathers; with a tiny percentage of women. At a great expense, the city was providing a play facility for adolescent boys, and the working class was not getting clean as intended.

The murky waters of pools began to raise suspicions of uncleanliness; however it wasn’t until a scientific study conducted between 1908 and 1915 that these suspicions were confirmed.

“Wallace Maheimer, a bacteriologist at Columbia University [and the secretary of the American Association for Promoting Hygiene and Public Baths], conducted several studies that were subsequently published in scientific journals and popular periodicals. He found that typhoid fever, ear and eye infections, dysentery, and gonorrhea were easily transmitted in pools…To ensure proper sanitation, he recommended that pool water be circulated through a filter and regularly treated with either calcium hypochlorite [dry chlorine] or anhydrous chlorine” (Wiltse 73).

At the same time as Manheimer’s studies, 20

biologist Dr. John Wymond Miller Bunker, began experimenting with chlorine in Brown University’s pool. Dr. Bunker discovered that calcium hypochlorite was an extremely effective sanitizer, requiring only 0.5 to 1.0 ppm to reach complete sterilization in one hour.

As a sanitizer, chlorine was cheap to produce, being manufactured in New York, and easy to distribute as a liquid or a solid (Olsen).

Chemical warfare increased demand for chlorine during World War I and gave the United States chlorine industry vast experience in manufacturing, handling, and shipping the chemical. During peace times, this experience lowered the cost of chlorine. Using chlorine as a swimming pool sanitizer rapidly gained popularity because of its mass availability, inexpensiveness, and effectiveness. And even though Manheimer recommended that ozone was superior to chlorine (due to chlorine’s odor problem) as a result of his1920s field trial, ozone did not gain favor as it was a much more expensive solution. The 1920s saw states writing sanitation regulations for swimming pools and, by the 1930s, a majority of the

“Sellwood Park Swimming Pool, 1935.” Vintage Portland. Web. 2 May 2014.

nation’s pools were using chlorine (Olsen).

The 1920s to 1940s saw the dawning of what Jeff Wiltse calls the “Swimming Pool Age”: the time in the country when thousands of pools were built and the popularity of swimming

reached its height. “[S]wimming was as much a part of Americans’ lives as was going to the movies” (Wiltse 5). The Progressive era of modernizing and “belief in mankind’s ability to improve the environment and conditions of life” shaped the coming age (Progressive).

21

Chlorine was proof that man had conquered the environment and its diseases by providing a superiorly sanitary space in the form of the pool. Many aspects factored into the creation of the “Swimming Pool Age”: pollution of nearby natural waters (rivers, lakes & oceans); streamlining the sanitation process; innovation in construction; women’s suffrage; and new swimming suit design.

Chlorine gave people peace of mind.

Swimmers preferred chlorine pools over local lakes and rivers, with good reason. The same lack of sanitary infrastructure in the city that caused the swimming pool movement was polluting the rivers and the lakes. People simply threw trash and washed their waste directly into rivers. People turned to pools for hygiene, community, and exercise. The pools built in the 1920s and 1930s were large municipal pools, often larger than football fields and able to accommodate thousands of people.

Circulation pumps were adapted from the marine industry; the water was filtered through sand to remove large particles, and chlorine was injected using chlorine gas (Olsen; Wiltse).

22

While cities were attempting to clean the working class through bathing facilities, the very wealthy were building their own natatoriums.

Swimming, synchronized swimming, and diving were quickly gaining popularity as entertainment and hygienic exercise for the wealthy (Leeuwen). And the wealthy were building huge private natatoriums to accommodate this new form of entertainment.

For many years, until the end of World War II, the private pool was a luxury of the very wealthy.

After the War, new building technologies in swimming pool design, including a single pour of concrete, pioneer swimming pool builder Philip Ilsley’s inverted dome swimming pools with curved sides, and Pascal Paddock’s waterproof barrier of white plaster, all served to make backyard pools accessible to the middleclass (Leeuwen).

Changes in culture and swimming suit design also increased the private pool’s popularity.

Up until the 1920s, bathing suits were large and woolly, often weighing up to 20 lbs when wet. The Progressive era and the women’s suffrage movement broke down traditions of

1910-1920’S SWIMWEAR

modesty. The 1920s to the 1940s saw great changes in swimsuit design, progressing from the 20lb swimsuit to the infamous bikini. In 1921, Jantzen Knitting Mills produced a onepiece suit, allowing women, in particular, to participate in outdoor swimming activities with more freedom from the weight of their old suits.

Men’s suits at this time lost their tops, and men’s bodies were also on display. “Public decency had come to mean presenting an attractive, even eye-catching, appearance rather than protecting one’s modesty” (Wiltse 114). The evolution of the swimsuit is a part of a time of growth and change in the United States, and the formation of an individual culture separate from its European influences. The swimming pool was at the center of that change.

1930-1940’S SWIMWEAR

1940-1950’S SWIMWEAR

Production of swimming pools sharply declined during World War II, but, starting in the 1950s, investments in manufacturing increased and the country went through a period of post-war consumerism and prosperity, which led to the rise of a strong middle-class. Subdivisions and suburban living were deeply admired in United States’ culture. And at this time, especially in images source: Desk, Star-Ledger Entertainment. “From Beefcakes to Bikinis: The Evolution of Bathing Suits (photo Gallery).” NJ.com. N. p., 09 May 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.

23

California, many middle-class homes had a swimming pool (Leeuwen). Hollywood participated in promoting the vision of the iconic swimmer through movies. Movie stars, like competitive swimmer Esther Williams, were often seen swimming or clad in swimwear on the screen.

During the 1950s, DuPont, the chemical manufacturing company, penned an archetypal ad campaign titled “Better Things for Better Living…Through Chemistry” (Innovation). This saying was widely adapted for many ads and movements of the time, but to protect from copyright infringement, the saying became “Better Living Through Chemistry” (Better). This saying played on the consumer’s emotional connection to a desired lifestyle.

The saying “Better Living Through Chemistry” typifies the end of the evolution of the swimming pool in the United States. Designs of pools have remained almost exactly the same for the last 60 years, with only small evolutions in technology. As previously stated, of 24

the 10.5 million pools in the United States, 95% still use chlorine, including salt chlorine, as a sanitizer (CDC). The use of chlorine is globally accepted. In fact, in their 2006 Guidelines, the World Health Organization states “The control of viruses and bacteria in swimming pool water is usually accomplished by appropriate treatment, including filtration and the proper application of chlorine or other disinfectants” (WHO xv).

“CR4 - Blog Entry: Modern Living Through Chemistry? Electronics? Agriculture?” N. p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2014.

The “Better Living through Chemistry� motto is over 50 years old. In the face of our changing world, perhaps it is time we evolve. Europeans created natural swimming pools that harness the biological powers of nature to create clean, beautiful, and chemicalfree pool water. These natural swimming pools rely on the science of limnology and phytotechnology to work as cleaning agents. Both public and private, these pools are low-maintenance, healthy alternatives to toxic chlorine pools. Figure 3: The Evolution of the Poolon the following page is an artistic look at the potential evolution of the swimming pool in the United States. The water flows from the wild lake, to the harnessed river, is controlled, chemicalized, and piped into the chlorine pool, until it is finally brought above ground to be treated in the future’s natural pool surrounded by a living city.

25

THE LAKE THE RIVER POOL / BATH

TIME

THE

WILD

HARNESSED

origins

early 1900s

CONTROLLED

today

AN ARTISTIC LOOK AT THE EVOLUTION OF THE SWIMMING POOL�

HE CHLORINE POOL

EVOLVED

the future

THE NATURAL POOL Figure 3: The Evolution of the Pool

Works Cited “Better Living Through Chemistry.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 5 Apr. 2014. Wikipedia. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.

CDC-Centers for Disease Control. “CDC - Fast Facts on Healthy Swimming - Healthy Swimming & Recreational Water - Healthy Water.” N. p., n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2014.

“Cholera; Natatorium.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 8 Apr. 2014. Wikipedia. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.

Division, US Census Bureau Systems Support. “Selected Historical Decennial Census Population and Housing Counts.” N.p. 1990 Census Page. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.

“Immigration to the United States - American Memory Timeline- Classroom Presentation | Teacher Resources - Library of Congress.” webpage. N. p., n.d. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.

“Innovation Starts Here.” DuPont Heritage Timeline. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.

“Interesting Facts About Swimming Pools Infographic.” Swim University. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.

Leeuwen, Thomas A. P. van, and Helen Searing. The Springboard in the Pond: An Intimate History of the Swimming Pool. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1998. Print.

Olsen, Kevin. “Clear Waters and a Green Gas: A History of Chlorine as a Swimming Pool Sanitizer in the United States”. Bulletin for the History of Chemicals 2007: 129-140. Print.

“Progressive Era.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 8 Apr. 2014. Wikipedia. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.

“Sanitation in Ancient Rome.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 05 May 2014. Web. 09 May 2014.

Wiltse, Jeff. Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming Pools in America. Univ of North Carolina Pr, 2010. Print.

WHO - World Health Organization. “Guidelines for Safe Recreational Water Environments: Volume 2 Swimming Pools and Similar Environments”. 2006. Print.

28

Chapter 3 THE BODY & THE LAKE

Definition of Terms EUTROPHIC Of a lake or other body of water rich in nutrients and so supporting a dense plant population, the decomposition of which kills animal life by depriving it of oxygen.

LAKE A large body of water surrounded by land. “…[T]ypically deeper than 3 meters, with an area of greater than about 1-10 hectares (ha)” (Dodson 12).

LIMNOLOGY The study of the biological, chemical, and physical features of “inland waters, including lakes, streams, and wetlands” (Dodson 4).

ORGANISM An individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form.

POND “[A] relatively small body of water [surrounded by land], with an area of 1-10 ha or less, and often shallow…(less than 3 m)…” (Dodson 12).

TROPHIC MODEL “[S]hows who eats whom, and thereby indicates relationships of competition (struggle for a limited resource such as food) and predation (one organism using another for food)” (Dodson 16).

RESPIRATION A process shared by all living organisms is the act or process of inhaling and exhaling; breathing. Carbon dioxide and water are waste products. Oxygen drives the process which provides cells with energy.

“Respiration is basically the photosynthesis equation running backwards” (Dodson 212).

TRANSPIRATION “[T]he process by which moisture is carried through plants from root to small pores on the underside of leaves, where it changes to vapor and is released to the atmosphere” (Transpiration).

The Platform The best way to understand the processes occurring in a man-made pool of water, the swimming pool, is to look at a pool of water in nature, the lake. The hydrological cycle, successional stages, and the trophic cycle influence the lake, helping balance the nutrient load and the pH of a lake. These same influences can keep the lake at a homeostatic point or cause the lake to evolve into a bog. Let’s analyze the lake.

The lake is best understood by analyzing our own ecosystem, the human body.

31

THE BODY

When thinking about the human body, the average person thinks about their tissues, muscles, and internal organs. They would be surprised to find that new studies using DNA sequencing have found that, in fact, the human body is made up of trillions of microorganisms, creating a human microbiome that outnumbers our genes 100 to 1 (The Invisible). “Microbes inhabit just about every part of the human body, living on the skin, in the gut, and up the nose” (2012). Occupying only 1 to 3 percent of the body’s mass, these microorganisms are essential for human survival, helping us with digestion, educating our immune cells, fighting off germs, producing antibiotics, and regulating our metabolism. Scientists believe that “the tiny organisms located all over our bodies are essential to our health and happiness” (Stein 5:28). The human microbiome is composed of bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and fungi. A simplified version of the human microbiome is found in water, and in particular, a lake.

32

THE LAKE

“An inland lake has often been compared to a living being, and this has always seemed to me one of the happiest of the attempts to find resemblances between animate and inanimate objects…” (Dodson 12). This 1907 quote from Edward Asahel Birge, American pioneer in the science of limnology, illustrates how, like a human being, the lake is composed of a circuitous living system. Bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton that make up the trophic cycle are living out a complex relationship of interaction, competition, and predation.

The hydrological and trophic processes influence the successional stage of the lake.

Successional stages determine the type of water quality in the lake. The crystal clear mountain lake is often at the beginning stage of succession, the oligotropic phase, where there is minimal nutrient load and the trophic organisms are minimal. The eutrophic phase of the lake is comparable to the lake found in the forest, where it is still a pleasant swim, but there may be fish, plants, and more trophic interaction occurring.

OLIGOTROPY few nutrients and production

Geography and hydrologic processes determine the type of trophic interaction (the movement of energy through the lake) that occurs in the lake. Trophic interaction can change with succession, flowing from one phase of the lake to the next. Figure 4: The Successional Stages of the Lake illustrates how each phase of the lake differs. From the oligotropic phase to the hypertropic stage where the nutrient load maximizes, the oxygen levels drop and the lake transitions into a bog or wetland. However, there are times when a variety of processes may stabilize a lake so that it achieves a homeostasis in the successional process, staying for thousands of years at an intermediate stage. For example, the lake may stay at the mesotropic stage, where the water has clarity, oxygen levels vary between 30 and 100%, and plants grow moderately well (Weixler 86).

Most natural swimming pools are placed between the mesotropic and eutropic stages (Weixler)ďż˝

MESOTROPY moderate nutrients and production

EUTROPY rich with nutrients and production

HYPERTROPY very high nutrients and excess production

Figure 4: The Successional Stages of the Lake 33

cloud formation precipitation

infiltration

transpiration

run-off

evaporation percolation

Figure 5: The Hydrologic Cycle Hydrologic cycle adapted from NYSFOLA, Diet for a Small Lake, pg 6.

Understanding the successional stages of a lake begins with understanding the hydrologic process or the movement of water through the system. Water starts in the air and falls to the ground (precipitation), it moves into the lake (infiltration, percolation and run-off), then out 34

of the lake (evaporation and respiration), and is taken up by vegetation where it is moved back into the air (transpiration). Figure 5: The Hydrologic Cycle illustrates the water movement and the corresponding terminology.

large aquatic consumers

phytoplankton

mammal & bird consumers

zooplankton

small aquatic consumers

The hydrologic cycle is part of the circulation and oxygenation process of the water, making it a hospitable place for living organisms.

The living organisms make up the trophic cycle, or the movement of energy through the lake, creating a complex living system. Living organisms within the lake include: bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton, small aquatic consumers (like fish), large aquatic consumers (big fish), and, finally, humans, mammals, and birds harvesting off the top. Figure 6: The Trophic Cycle illustrates the progression of consumption.

The balance of living organisms in a lake also largely determines its successional stage. If the nutrient load increases, the algae

Figure 6: The Trophic Cycle Trophic cycle adapted from NYSFOLA, Diet for a Small Lake, pg 9

(phytoplankton) may increase dramatically, causing a bloom of algae in the lake. Short lived, the algae quickly die off, leading to a bloom in bacteria that are responsible for decomposition. The bacteria suck up oxygen as they work, leading to reduced levels of dissolved oxygen, which leads to die-offs in other oxygen absorbing organisms, such as zooplankton, ultimately resulting in the trophic process suffering a severe eutrophic imbalance causing the lake to become stagnant.

In successional stages, the lake enters a hypertropic stage. While the hypertropic stage is a natural part of the successional process, it does not create safe water for human use.

Given the option, would you prefer to jump into a bog or a cool clear mountain lake?

35

Works Cited “2012 Release: NIH Human Microbiome Project Defines Normal Bacterial Makeup of the Body.”

NIH News. US Department of Health and Human News, 13 June 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

“Bacterium.” Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.

Dodson, Stanley. Introduction to Limnology. 1st edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Science/ Engineering/Math, 2004. Print.

NYSFOLA: New York State Federation of Lake Associations, Inc. Diet for a Small Lake: The expanded Guide to New York State Lake and Watershed Management. New York State Federation of Lake Associations, Inc. 2009. Print.

Stein, Rob. “Gut Bacteria Might Guide The Workings Of Our Minds.” NPR.org. N. p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

“The Invisible Universe Of The Human Microbiome”. N. p., 2013. Film.

“Transpiration - The Water Cycle.” USGS Water-Science School. United States Geologic Survey, n.d.

Web. 15 Apr. 2014.

36

Chapter 4 THE TROPHIC CYCLE & THE POOL

Definition of Terms ALGAE A simple nonflowering plant of a large group that includes the seaweeds and many single-celled forms. “The algae species that float freely in the open water of lakes or rivers are called phytoplankton” (Dodson 47).

BACTERIUM/BACTERIA “[U]biquitous one-celled organisms, spherical, spiral, or rod–shaped… various species of which are involved in fermentation, putrefaction, infectious diseases, or nitrogen fixation” (Bacterium).

PH A measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution.

PHYTOPLANKTON “[S]mall photosynthetic organisms suspended in the water” (Dodson 45).

QUAGMIRE A boggy area of the land (the land in the hypertropic stage) in an awkward,

complex, or hazardous situation.

STAGNANT WATER A body of water having no current or flow… “[it] can be a major environmental hazard” (Stagnant).

SWIMMER LOAD The number of persons in the pool area at any given moment, or during a stated period of time.

ZOOPLANKTON “[A]re small animals (…mostly nonphotosynthetic protozoans & invertebrate animals) that live in open water” (Dodson 48).

The Tie

Natural swimming pools have only been built for the past 25 years, how they work is still being studied and documented. On the other hand, the research on chlorine pools is well documented and extends back over 100 years. This chapter clarifies the processes occurring in all swimming pools, and compares natural and chlorine pools’ sanitation abilities. Like the chlorine pool, the natural pool’s success depends on the delicate balance of oxygen, pH, water temperature, and swimmer load. But where chlorine is creating sterile water through acids, the natural pool’s success relies on the health of the organisms in the trophic cycle.

39

THE DROP & THE DANGER

If you look at a drop of water beneath a microscope you will see the trophic cycle in miniature as the bacteria, phytoplankton, and zooplankton live out their life cycles. Every drop of water you drink from your faucet contains bacteria, phytoplankton, and zooplankton, to some extent (Shrimp).

The drop of water is typically safe for humans.

As we know, ancient humans typically drank their water straight from rivers and lakes. The microorganisms found in the drop are easily assimilated into our body’s processes.

But the swimming pool is not a lake. The swimming pool is an isolated body, structurally removed from hydrologic influences of inflows and outflows. Left to its own devices, a contained body of water, like the swimming pool, would grow insects and gradually go through the successional stages of lakes. Even this is not dangerous to humans. So why the need for a sanitation process in the swimming pool?

40

Humans. Humans are the key condition to creating the biological quagmire found in swimming pools. The microbiome of humans is constantly shifting and shedding. When we enter a swimming pool, the bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and fungi that naturally live and breed on our bodies are sloughed off into the warm, welcoming environment of the swimming pool.

If the human entering the pool has any one of their microbiological processes out of balance (if they are sick), the pool becomes a breeding ground for a variety of diseases.

Humans are carriers of a legion of diseasecausing organisms including e-coli, giardia, hepatitis A, and fungi like athlete’s foot, all forming a plethora of pathogens. The water itself may be safe, but adding humans to the water makes it a potentially dangerous place for other humans. (WHO).

In a typical lake, the cold water temperature, trophic organisms and high dilution rates reduce the breeding opportunity for pathogens.

The swimming pool, with its high swimmer load and increased temperatures (82 ˚F or 27.7 ˚C), increases concentrations of microbes, creating

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42

As part of the battle against creating a biological quagmire, the swimming pool seeks to mimic part of the hydrologic process. Every swimming pool requires flow and circulation.

This may be achieved through pumps, surge tanks, and filling water or through wind and water column temperature variations. However, circulation alone, without a sanitation system, allows pathogens to flourish.

Today, the typical pool system battles against bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and algae by: 1) filters (often sand filters) mimicking the filtering process of a lake’s soil; 2) injecting the water with chlorine to deploy its acidifying properties; 3) injecting the water with carbon dioxide to reduce oxygen levels and keep the pH low; and 4) in outdoor pools, a final injection of algaecide is sometimes used to battle algae blooms as their numbers multiply with the nutrient gain through photosynthesis (see figure 6).

THE CHLORINE POOL IN DETAIL As previously discussed, chlorine was the first sanitation measure tried in the United States. In the beginning days of chlorine, scientists used bacteria as a measure of water cleanliness and safety (Olsen). Chlorine is very successful at treating bacteria, but it has taken years of analysis to understand that there are many pathogens that chlorine cannot treat. Chlorine fails against pathogens such as mycrobacteria, cryptosporidium and adenoviruses (WHO xix).

All of these microbial hazards cause infections, colds, pneumonia, or intestinal illnesses.

The effectiveness of chlorine is primarily based on the pool’s pH, the temperature of the water, the swimmer load and the amount of chlorine added to the water (parts-per-million, or ppm).

Several strains of human-derived bacteria, protozoa and viruses are resistant to chlorine.

Ultra-violet (UV) filter systems have proved to quickly eradicate many of these remaining dangers. In new pools, UV systems are often used in conjunction with chlorine. However, unlike chlorine, which is in the pool basin with the contaminators (humans), the UV process is isolated from the pool basin. There is therefore a time lag between contamination and UV

LE

F

A

CHL ORO PLAST 6 CO2 + 6 H2O C6H12O6 + 6 O2 carbon dioxide + carbohydrate water + light energy + oxygen

sanitation while the water is circulated through to the separated UV system (King).

Figure 7: Photosynthesis Photosynthetic transfer of sunlight to energy.

For a side by side comparison of chlorine and natural pool systems see page 46. Figure 10: Schematic of the Standard Chlorine Pool illustrates the chlorine pool cycle in detail. The water exits the main swimming zone through a skimmer or an outlet (1). After passing through a surge tank and a flow meter, the water encounters a large debris strainer (2, 3, & 4). Once the large particulates are removed, the water enters the pump. This keeps the water flow pressurized and circulating (5).

In advanced systems, the water then passes through a UV system before it is put through a fine filter, typically sand (6 & 7). In the final step, the water is injected with pH control and chlorine before it enters back into the main swimming basin (8 & 9).

43

THE NATURAL SWIMMING POOL IN DETAIL Like the chlorine pool, the natural swimming pool (NSP) uses pumps, circulation, and surge tanks to mimic the hydrologic process.

The NSP differs from the chlorine pool by further integration of hydrologic and trophic processes. The NSP system battles against

bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and algae by percolating the water through a planting zone or the regeneration zone and by maintaining the health of the microscopic trophic organisms in the main area of the pool, called the swimming zone. Similar to the function of chlorine in the swimming pool, the trophic organisms surround the primary contaminators

N2 Gas

Sediments

zooplankton graze on algae

Zooplankton

Algae P+N +K

P+N +K

P+N +K

bacteria provide nutrients & remineralize algae

bacteria remineralize zooplankton

Root hairs uptake nutrients

Bacteria 44

Figure 8: The Sediment Cycle Diagram illustrating the trophic cycle integrated with plant uptake of sediments & nutrients (NYSFOLA).

regeneration zone

-- humans. Zooplankton are the work horses of the trophic organisms in the swimming zone, consuming many of the microbial contaminants.

Phytoplankton produce oxygen and absorb excess nutrients, while fungi and bacteria close the loop by consuming detritus and producing C02 for the phytoplankton. This process is illustrated in Figure 8: The Sediment Cycle.

When looking at the comparison of chlorine and natural swimming pools on pages 46 and 47, Figure 11: Schematic of Type III Natural Swimming Pool illustrates the functioning of the natural pool. At first glance, you may notice there are many similarities between the two pool systems. The water starts its circulation flow out the skimmer (1). It passes through a large debris strainer, through a pump, a surge tank and then is circulated into the regeneration zone (2 to 6). The major difference between the chlorine and the natural pool is the regeneration zone. Figure 9: The Regeneration Zone illustrates the submerged wall between the swimming zone and the regeneration zone. Water flows naturally between these two areas. There are two ways the water enters the

swimming zone

Figure 9: The Regeneration Zone Close-up of the regeneration zone illustrating the exchange of water from the swimming zone into the regeneration zone.

regeneration zone - through natural flow from the swimming zone and by being pumped through the regeneration zone.

45

SCHEMATIC COMPARISON: CHLORINE & NATURAL SWIMMING POOLS

inlet

1

swimming zone inlet

outlet main drain

9 8 7

6

5

4 2 3

drain to sewer

1

skimmers or gutters: collect water and debris from the surface of the pool

6

ultraviolet light: bulbs and quartz sleeve which water passes through

2

surge tank: holds displaced water volume from adding swimmers

7

ďŹ lter: eliminates small particles and some microorganisms

3

ow meter: regulates adding displaced water to the pool as swimmer load fluctuates

8

alkalinity control: acid or alkali are added to maintain a pH between 7.2 and 7.8

4

strainer: removes large debris such as hair, rocks, and leaves

9

chlorine control: chlorine is added to the water via gas or solid state chlorine

5 46

pump: circulates the water through the system

Figure 10: Schematic of the Standard Chlorine Pool

regeneration zone

6

1

swimming zone

2

3

main drain

4 5

drain to sewer

1

skimmers: collect water, debris, and biofilm from the surface of the pool

2

strainer: removes large debris such as hair, rocks, and leaves

3

pump: circulates the water through the system, submerged pump shown

4

surge tank: holds displaced water volume from adding swimmers

5

ow meter: regulates adding displaced water to the pool as swimmer load fluctuates

6

regeneration zone: the water flows naturally from the swimming zone into the regeneration zone and on some types of natural pools perforated pipes percolate the water through the planting substrate

Figure 11: Schematic of Type III Natural Swimming Pool The side-by-side comparison illustrates the similarities and differences between chlorine and natural swimming pools.

47

The International Organization of Natural Bathing Waters (IOB) and German and Austrian scientists verified the success of natural swimming pools as sanitation systems. IOB proved inactivation of pathogens in natural pool systems after nine years of data collection from 35 pools and NSP simulations (IOB 43). The IOB’s studies have shown successful elimination of all pathogens, as long as proper design and maintenance are observed, NSPs have the potential of creating water cleaner than tap water (IOB).

IOB’s proof of the NSP’s success does not mean that it is a fail-safe system. Both chlorine and NSP sanitation systems experience failure when they are not properly maintained. Both the chlorine and NSP’s success depends on the delicate balance of oxygen levels, pH, water temperature, and swimmer load, which are in constant flux. In the modern chlorine system, balance is maintained by computers that are constantly measuring the water and then adding or subtracting chlorine, carbon dioxide, and water temperature as needed.

48

In the natural pool system, the ebb and flow of the trophic cycle and the rate of water circulation are keys to managing fluctuations and variations. In municipal NSP systems the nutrients, conductivity and pH levels are tested manually on a daily basis (see Figure 12: pH Range of Aquatic Organisms). Phytoplankton and zooplankton levels are examined every other month (IOB). In the private NSP systems, the maintenance of the pool is more dependent on the type of pool installed, the weather, and the health of the plants in the regeneration zone (Weixler). The next chapter discusses in greater depth the variation in maintenance for the variety of private NSP typologies.

ACIDIC 0 sulfuric acid

1

vinegar

2

soda

3

acid rain

4

black coffee

5

urine, milk

6

NEUTRAL

7 8

baking soda

Acceptable range for aquatic organisms

9 10

ammonia

11

soapy water

12

bleach

13 14

ALKALINE Figure 12: pH Range of Aquatic Organisms Showing products along the pH scale and the acceptable pH range for aquatic organisms (NYSFOLA).

49

Works Cited “2012 Release: NIH Human Microbiome Project Defines Normal Bacterial Makeup of the Body.”

NIH News. US Department of Health and Human News, 13 June 2012. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

“Bacterium.” Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.

“Body Water.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 21 Apr. 2014. Wikipedia. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.

“CDC Looks Back at 2013 Health Challenges, Ahead to 2014 Health Worries | Press Release | CDC Online Newsroom | CDC.” N. p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.

Dodson, Stanley. Introduction to Limnology. 1st edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Science/ Engineering/Math, 2004. Print.

“The Invisible Universe Of The Human Microbiome”. N. p., 2013. Film.

IOB: International Organization for the Natural Bathing Water. Performance of Public Swimming Ponds: An overview of hygiene in pools with biological water purification. 1st Edition. 2013. Print.

King, C H et al. “Survival of Coliforms and Bacterial Pathogens within Protozoa during Chlorination.”

Applied and environmental microbiology 54.12 (1988): 3023–3033. Print.

NYSFOLA: New York State Federation of Lake Associations, Inc. Diet for a Small Lake: The expanded Guide to New York State Lake and Watershed Management. New York State Federation of Lake Associations, Inc. 2009. Print.

Olsen, Kevin. “Clear Waters and a Green Gas: A History of Chlorine as a Swimming Pool Sanitizer in the United States”. Bulletin for the History of Chemicals 2007: 129-140. Print.

“Shrimp in Drinking Water Are Microscopic and Harmless.” National Geographic: News Watch. Sept.

2 2010. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.

“Stagnant.” Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.

Stein, Rob. “Gut Bacteria Might Guide The Workings Of Our Minds.” NPR.org. N. p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

Weixler, Richard, and Wolfgang Hauer. Garden and Swimming Ponds: Building, Planting, Care.

Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2010. Print.

WHO: World Health Organization. Guidelines for safe recreational water environments. Volume 2, Swimming pools and similar environments. 2006. Print.

50

Chapter 5 LOST IN TRANSLATION

Definition of Terms CLEAN WATER Water which has been through the regeneration zone, purifying it, rendering the water potable.

PLANTING ZONE “Substrate and layer which is planted and through which the water flows in a noncontrolled manner” (Germany 2007.

FILTRATION ZONE “Filter body which is either planted or unplanted and through which the water flows in a controlled manner” (Germany 2007).

REGENERATION AREA “The area used for biological, physical and physical/chemical purification of the water which is not accessible to swimmers.

It is comprised of the: plant zone and/or filtration zone...

Synonyms: cleaning, regeneration, filtration, plant area / zone…”

(Germany 2007)

MULTI-CHAMBER SYSTEM The swimming and regeneration area are separated by structural means into standalone basins / chambers.

NATURAL SWIMMING POOL A swimming pool system designed to be sealed against the subsoil and comprised of the swimming area and the regeneration area. It has defined requirements in terms of water quality. The water is cleansed biologically, and / or with technology that performs bio-mimicry functions.

SINGLE-CHAMBER SYSTEM The swimming and regeneration area are located within a single basin / chamber.

SWIMMING AREA “The area designated for swimming.

Synonyms: usage area, swimming zone” (Germany 2007)

~20,000

NSPs BUILT IN EUROPE*

* Littlewood, Michael. Natural Swimming Pools: [inspiration for Harmony with Nature]. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Pub., 2005. Print.

The Link

After a brief introduction to natural swimming pools (NSPs) in the previous chapter, this chapter looks at the limitations of available knowledge about NSPs; examines the German’s Landscaping and Landscape Development Research Society classifications of NSPs; and examines the levels of technology in each NSP system. Also in this chapter I have devised personalities for each system. The personalities assist the client and designer in deciding which system may be a good fit for their situation.

~100

NSPs BUILT IN THE U�S�*

*A rough estimate derived from conversations with natural swimming pool professionals in the United States.

53

SPRECHEN SIE DEUTSCH?

Much of the knowledge about NSP systems is proprietary information. However, there are a few resources available to the ardent learner. The resources derive from sources such as backyard builders, ecologists, landscape designers and landscape architects. Because the NSP movement is strongest in Europe right now, many of the resources are German, and have been translated into English. (For a complete list of all the resources found, refer to Appendix A.) Attempts to introduce NSPs into the North American market led to recent NSP resources being translated into English.

However, the editing and translation of the books often leave the reader wondering about the writer’s actual intent.

In brief, the resources available vary in comprehensiveness and intended audience.

There are many articles that encapsulate the NSP system, such as Michelle Taute’s “Pristine Swimming: with a Nod to Mother Nature, European Designers Keep Pools Clean and Safe without Resorting to Chemicals” 54

in the March 2003 edition of Landscape Architecture Magazine. And there are several books directed at the Do-It-Yourselfer (DIYer) who may be interested in renting a backhoe and transforming their backyard into a NSP (warnings to those who may unintentionally turn their backyard into a giant mud pit). For the DIYers, Michael Littlewood and David Pagan Butler, both from England, have provided several resources that cover retrofitting to installation.

Jean VanHoof, from Belgium, has produced a beautiful coffee table book with a full description of the different aspects of natural pools. This book is translated into four different languages within one cover.

Richard Weixler, from Austria, wrote the most comprehensive, legible book about natural swimming pools. As an ecologist, Mr. Weixler explains the systems of the pools to a full extent.

And finally, the German’s Landscaping and Landscape Development Research Society (FLL), has developed a set of coded policies for developers of NSPs in Germany.

In 2007, the FLL translated an official policy guideline document into English called, Recommendations for the Planning, Construction and Maintenance of Private Swimming and Natural Pools. In this publication, the FLL established a classification system for natural swimming pools for private residences. Ranging from one to five, the pools are categorized depending on the number of technological components included in each pool system. The more components included, the less square footage of regeneration zone is needed to achieve clean water; and vice versa, the fewer components included, the more square footage of regeneration zone needed. This ratio is based on the concept that the technological components are compensating for the reduced biotic interaction within the regeneration zone.

Along with a look at the FLL policies, the next chapter develops personalities for the pools as a starting place for understanding the landscape situation that might be best suited for each pool type. However, each pool type has a few similar elements. These include the regeneration zone, the swimmer zone, and the

entry zone. These elements are defined as: The regeneration zone is the area used for biological and physical purification of the water. The regeneration zone is comprised of plants and specialized substrate.

Swimmers are excluded from this area.

The swimmer zone is the area of pool designated for swimmers’ use.

And the entry zone is the sloped or staired area where the swimmer enters the water.

The following FLL classifications and dimensions were created for NSPs in private use, assuming a three to four person swimmer load. If the swimmer load increases, the dimensions of the pool increase. The equations for the increase are not discussed in this document, but can be found in the FLL standards for municipal pools.

The maintenance mentioned for each pool type is based on a temperate climate, such as that found in Germany.

55

Type 1: The Maverick b

16.5 yd / 49.5’ 4.4 yd

12 yd 3.3 yd

regeneration zone

swimming zone

a’

entry zone

2.2 yd

a

8.75 yd / 26.25’ 2.2 yd 4.4 yd

8.75 yd

b’

regeneration zone

swimming zone

2.2 yd 2.2 yd

16.5 yd 8.75 yd

symbolizes water exchange with the regeneration zone

entry zone

regeneration deep water regeneration zone zone

3.3 yd

2.2 yd

8.75 yd 4.4 yd

2.2 yd

> 2.2 yd / 6.6’

a 56

Figure 13: Type I NSP - The Maverick

a’

b

b’ Figure adapted (Germany 2007:24)

TYPE I: THE MAVERICK

The Maverick, categorized as a single chamber system, is distinguished by its complete lack of technical support systems. To create clean water and a balanced ecosystem, it is necessary to have a regeneration zone of 60% or more of the total square footage of the swimming area, assuming an average depth of 2.2yd in the swimming area. Wind and fluctuations of temperature within the water AREA

40% 60%

column are responsible for the circulation of water. 65% of the pool must be greater than six and a half feet in depth. The total surface area of the water must be greater than or equal to 130 yd2. Out of 130 yd2 there are 78 yd2 for the regeneration zone and 52 yd2 for the swimming zone. For a comparison, the typical YMCA swimming pool with six lanes has 625 yd2 of surface water. The Maverick pool is 75% smaller than the YMCA pool. Due to the large

MAINTENANCE

100%

CONSTRUCTION COST COMPONENTS 1st chamber 2nd chamber

swimming zone

components maintenance

regeneration zone

planting maintenance

pump

skimmer

distributor

filter

Total Surface Area: > 130 yd2 Regeneration Area: > 60% Additional Components: none 57

regeneration zone and low swimmer load, the Maverick requires the highest level of plant maintenance to keep the pool water clean.

Figure 13: Type I NSP - The Maverick shows minimum size requirements along with the ratio of swimming zone to regeneration zone.

In the NSP resources, this pool is typically called a swimming pond or a natural pool. The pool often has a soft naturalistic appearance that may blend well into a woodland or naturalistic landscape as shown in the image (opposite page).

The Maverick is the DIYers dream. While it is heavy on plant maintenance, it is low on technological components. This system allows for a certain amount of ingenuity. David Pagan Butler’s video, Natural Swimming Pools: A Guide to Designing & Building Your Own is a prime example of how to build a Maverick pool. Mr. Butler and his neighbor, with a small backhoe, sand bags, bricks, and a liner show how to build a backyard Maverick pool in a few weeks. In the video, Mr. Butler uses his ingenuity to make his own tools.

All of this self-ingenuity and minimal technical 58

components keeps the expense down, with the Maverick costing in 2013 a little over $20,00 if self-built and under $40,00 if built by a professional (Butler; Weixler 166).

MAINTENANCE

The Maverick is simplicity in itself. However, without proper depth, dimensioning, and maintenance, the Maverick has the potential to evolve from the eutropic stage of good plant growth and balanced oxygen levels to the hypertropic level of excessive nutrients and production, which cause the NSP to turn into an unswimmable stagnant pond.

The regeneration area is a type of garden.

Like a garden, the hours for the maintenance vary by the season, with the majority of the work occurring in the spring and the fall. Exact numbers were not found. However, weekly upkeep of the vegetation for an hour or two may be a reasonable expectation in the spring and fall, with the time falling off in the summer and no work in the winter.

For further details refer to Figure 20: Maintenance Table - a Brief Overview on page 77.

image source: Marc Slootmaekers (VanHoof)

An example of Type I NSP: The Maverick.

59

Type II: The Gardener b

13.7 yd / 41’ 2.2 yd

11.5 yd 2.75 yd

8.75 yd / 26.25’ 4.4 yd 2.2 yd

8.75 yd

a’ swimming zone

entry zone

2.2 yd

a

regeneration zone

b’ water exchange with the regeneration zone regeneration zone

swimming zone

2.2 yd

13.7 yd 8.75 yd

entry zone

regeneration zone

deep water

regeneration zone

2.2 yd

8.75 yd 4.4 yd

2.2 yd

2.75 yd

> 2.2 yd / 6.6’

a 60

Figure 14: Type II NSP - The Gardener

a’

b

b’ Figure adapted (Germany 2007:25)

TYPE II: THE GARDENER

The Gardener, also a single chamber system, includes the technology of a pump to circulate the water. The Gardener is still a regeneration zone heavy system. The inclusion of a pump allows a reduction of the total surface area (in comparison to the Maverick) to equal to or greater than 110 yd2. This pool is divided equally between the regeneration zone and the AREA

Total Surface Area: > 110 yd2 Regeneration Area: > 50% Additional Components: Pump

MAINTENANCE

CONSTRUCTION COST

20% 50%

COMPONENTS

50% 80%

swimming zone

components maintenance

regeneration zone

planting maintenance

1st chamber 2nd chamber

pump

skimmer

distributor

filter

mini schematic illustrating the plumbing & the pump

61

swimming zone, giving 55 yd2 to each part.

Like the Maverick, 65% of the pool must be greater than six and a half feet in depth. The Gardener reduces the level of maintenance.

Figure 14: Type II NSP - The Gardener shows the dimensions for The Gardener.

Like the Maverick, the Gardener is a highly flexible system, suitable for the DIYer. The Gardener is a slightly less expensive system to build than the Maverick. The addition of the pump allows the entire square yardage to diminish, meaning fewer costs in building material. The inclusion of the pump could mean electrical costs. However, the pump only needs to be run periodically, and there is an option to attach the pump to a solar electric source.

The image opposite shows an example of the Gardener system and the potential for the backyard garden.

MAINTENANCE The Gardener still requires a fair amount of plant maintenance, as the planting area is 50% of the total square footage. Maintenance

62

requirements are very similar to those required for the Maverick. However, with less regeneration area, less time is needed to spend manging the regeneration zone. An addition to the basic maintenance hours is winterization of the pump. However, if the pool uses a submerged pump no winterization is necessary. See Figure 20: Maintenance Table - a Brief Overview (on page 77) for more details on the maintenance needs.

image source: Marc Slootmaekers (VanHoof)

An example of Type II NSP: The Gardener.

63

Type III: The Diplomat b

11.7 yd / 35’ 2.2 yd

9.4 yd

a

8.75 yd / 26.25’ 4.4 yd 2.2 yd

6.0 yd

3.4 yd

regeneration zone

a’ entry zone

2.2 yd

swimming zone

b’ perforated pipe under regeneration zone regeneration zone 2.2 yd

swimming zone 11.7 yd 6.0 yd

entry zone

water exchange with the regeneration zone regeneration zone

deep water

regeneration zone

2.2 yd

8.75 yd 4.4 yd

2.2 yd

3.4 yd

> 2.2 yd / 6.6’

a 64

Figure 15: Type III NSP - The Diplomat

a’

b

b’ Figure adapted (Germany 2007:26)

TYPE III: THE DIPLOMAT The Diplomat is the final single chamber system in the FLL standards. This system integrates more component technology in the form of: pumps, skimmers, and forced filtration with a distributor. The distributor doubles the interaction with the regeneration zone. The first interaction happens with the lowered wall in the swimming zone, where the water washes back AREA

Total Surface Area: > 87.5 yd2 Regeneration Area: > 40% Additional Components: Pump, Skimmer, & Regeneration Zone Distributor

MAINTENANCE

CONSTRUCTION COST

30% 60%

COMPONENTS

40% 70%

swimming zone

components maintenance

regeneration zone

planting maintenance

1st chamber 2nd chamber

pump

skimmer

distributor

filter

mini schematic illustrating the plumbing, pump, skimmer, & distributor 65

and forth naturally from the swimming zone into the regeneration zone. The second interaction is with the distributor. As the water is drawn from the skimmer to the pump, it is distributed through the regeneration zone by perforated piping. These additional components allow for a smaller regeneration zone at 40% of the minimum size, 87.5yd2 (See Figure 15: Type III NSP - The Diplomat).

The Diplomat is the best of both worlds, integrating additional technological components with the naturalistic feel of the Maverick and the Gardener. The Diplomat balances plant maintenance and technological component maintenance. Each additional technological component compensates for the required zooplankton interaction within the swimming zone and the sediment uptake of the regeneration zone. The image on the opposite page illustrates the Diplomat’s design potential and the pool surrounded by a regeneration zone.

The Diplomat is in the middle ground for construction costs, averaging about $40,000 to $50,000 in 2013 (Weixler 169). This 66

cost is comparable to a chlorine pool of similar size. Maintenance for a chlorine pool includes weekly monitoring and constant chemical purchasing. The amount of time for maintenance is comparable between the NSP and the chlorine pool. The major difference between the two pools is in the cost of the chemicals and the need to dump and refill the chlorine pool annually (Littlewood; Weixler; Swim University).

MAINTENANCE The Diplomat is also in the middle ground for maintenance. The skimmer helps keep the pool clean by sloughing off the top layer of debris and removing some of the filamentous algae.

The smaller regeneration zone relieves some of the necessary plant maintenance. However, all of the required maintenance for the Maverick and the Gardener applies to the Diplomat.

Refer to Figure 20: Maintenance Table - a Brief Overview (on page 77).

image source: Marc Slootmaekers (VanHoof)

An example of Type III NSP: The Gardener.

67

Type IV: The Initiator b 10.9 yd / 32.7’ 8.75 yd

2nd chamber of regeneration zone

regeneration zone

a’ swimming zone

4.4 yd

a

6.6 yd / 19.8’ 2.2 yd

2.2 yd

b’ perforated pipe under regeneration zone

regeneration zone 2.2 yd

water exchange with the regeneration zone

regeneration zone

swimming zone 10.9 yd 8.75 yd

2.2 yd

deep water

6.6 yd 4.4 yd

> 2.2 yd / 6.6’

a 68

Figure 16: Type IV NSP - The Initiator

a’

b Figure adapted (Germany 2007:27)

b’

TYPE IV: THE INITIATOR The Initiator is the first system to take the leap into a dual chamber system. To clarify the chamber systems: there is a second chamber for the regeneration zone which is separated from the swimming zone by structural means.

This type of system adds more flexibility in site locations. For example, if the site is a steep slope, the swimming zone and small integrated AREA

60%

40%

Total Surface Area: > 65.6 yd2 Regeneration Area: > 40% Additional Components: 2nd Chamber, Pump, Skimmer, Regeneration Flow, & Filter

MAINTENANCE

40%

60%

CONSTRUCTION COST

COMPONENTS 1st chamber 2nd chamber

swimming zone

components maintenance

regeneration zone

planting maintenance

pump

skimmer

distributor

filter

mini schematic illustrating the plumbing, pump, skimmer, distributor, & filter 69

regeneration zone can be on one terrace, with the second chamber of the regeneration zone on another terrace.

The second chamber reduces direct interaction between the water and the swimming zone.

The reduction in interaction requires additional technological cleaning components in the form of filters. The filters remove fine biological organisms and sediment. The technology for these filters is specific and proprietary depending on the pool company. For example, one of the original NSP builders in Austria, Biotop, has created a filter that removes phosphorous from the water, basically starving out algae. This additional technology allows the regeneration zone to become even smaller in square footage than the previous examples.

MAINTENANCE While the Maverick, the Gardener and the Diplomat are highly reliant on the trophic cycle and the regeneration zone to keep the pool water in balance, the Initiator is the first pool that requires technology as part of the balancing act. The inclusion of technology often necessitates frequent adjustments to the system, 70

translating to more frequent maintenance. The Initiator is closer to the level of the chlorine pool in consistent maintenance requirements.

The trade off is less time needed to maintain the regeneration zone and less time needed removing filamentous algae from the swimming zone.

Richard Weixler, whom I have often cited in this project, refuses to build Type IV and V pools.

He mentions on his website, Wassergarten, that these systems have a tendency to fail due an increase in: maintenance, pump run times, and the cost of replacement filters. However, professional NSP builder BioNova has had excellent success with the Type IV and V pools.

Type IV and V pools are the only type of natural swimming pools BioNova builds in the United States.

To summarize, on top of the maintenance requirements mentioned with the Maverick, the Gardener, and the Diplomat, the Initiator may also need weekly checkups; depending on the manufacturer’s instructions. See Figure 20: Maintenance Table - a Brief Overview for a brief listing of maintenance needs (on page 77).

image source: BIOTOP Natural Pools

An example of Type IV NSP: The Initiator.

71

Type V: The Modernist b 10.9 yd / 32.7’

6.6 yd / 19.8’ 2.2 yd

a’ swimming zone

4.4 yd

a

separate chamber of regeneration zone

b’

regeneration zone

swimming zone 10.9 yd

2.2 yd

deep water

6.6 yd 4.4 yd

> 2.2 yd / 6.6’

a 72

Figure 17: Type V NSP - The Modernist

a’

b

b’ Figure adapted (Germany 2007:28)

TYPE V: THE MODERNIST The final pool in this classification scheme is the Modernist. The Modernist is the ultimate in technology, versatility of design, and high cost.

The Modernist includes all of the technological components, including the filter discussed in the Initiator. The Modernist’s structurally separate chamber design allows the regeneration zone to live elsewhere on the site, giving maximum AREA

30% 70%

Total Surface Area: > 54.6 yd2 Regeneration Area: > 30% Additional Components: 2nd Chamber, Pump, Skimmer , Regeneration Flow, & Filter

MAINTENANCE

25%

CONSTRUCTION COST

COMPONENTS 75%

swimming zone

components maintenance

regeneration zone

planting maintenance

1st chamber 2nd chamber

pump

skimmer

distributor

filter

mini schematic illustrating the plumbing, pump, skimmer, distributor, filter, & 2nd chamber 73

versatility in design. The regeneration zone is also a mere 30% of the total 54.6yd2 surface area, with a minimum size of 16.4 yd2. The small square footage is compatible with many yard types, from the city to the suburbs. The Modernist has the ability to be so technologically advanced that no plants are necessary in the regeneration zone; instead it relies solely on the effectiveness of the technological components, the trophic cycle in the swimming zone, and the ability of substrate alone to clean the water.

The cleaning of the pool can be tucked under a deck or hidden away under a patch of lawn.

All of the Modernist’s technology and versatility comes at a price, with the pool’s starting cost at $120,000 (Biotop, Weixler).

MAINTENANCE The maintenance of the Modernist is similar to the maintenance needs of the Initiator. If the regeneration zone contains plants, then the plants must be maintained in the same fashion as the previous pools. It is also recommended to use a net above the pool in the fall. If you do not have a submerged pump, then the pool will require winterization.

74

TYPOLOGIES SUMMARY When designing the various pool personalities, keep in mind that each type is not fixed and one type can blend into the next. To assist in visualizing the varied pool types, Figure 18: Minimum Total Area Requirements: Visual Comparison (on page 76) illustrates the minimum area required, and Figure 19: Comparison Table of Pool Types (on page 76) illustrates a comparison of all types. The capacity of the site, the budget, the preferences of the client, and the ability to keep to a maintenance plan are the deciding factors of which pool type to design and build. Each of these personalities is designed for a three to four person swimmer load. For how to size up for a greater swimmer load, see Chapter 6.

image source: Marc Slootmaekers (VanHoof)

An example of Type V NSP: The Modernist.

75

The Maverick, Type I

130 yd2

60%

The Gardener, Type II

110 yd2

50%

The Diplomat, Type III

87.5 yd2

40%

The Initiator, Type IV

65.6 yd2

40%

The Modernist, Type V

54.6 yd2

30%

min. total area

high

low

low lowest

low

% regen. % maint.. area of plants

high

high

% maint. of technology

const. cost

Figure 19: Comparison Table of Pool Types

Type I: The Maverick Type II: The Gardener > 130 yd

2

60% regen. area

> 110 yd2

Type III: The Diplomat

50% regen. area

> 87.5 yd

2

40% regen. area

Type IV: The Initiator > 65.6 yd2 40% regen. area

Type V: The Modernist > 54.6 yd2 30% regen. area

Figure 18: Minimum Total Area Requirements: Visual Comparison Each square is a mathematically proportional comparison.

76

The Maverick The Gardener The Diplomat The Initiator The Modernist

Pool Type 1

2

3

4

5

= = = = =

1 2 3 4 5

Maintenance • Stay diligent about removal of dead leaves • Fertilize the lilies in the spring • Remove filamentous algae • Remove sediment from the sides and bottom of the pool at least once a year • Cut back the plants in the fall • In the fall, place a net above the pool to catch the leaves, remove before winter

2

3

4

5

3

4

5 4

5

• Annual check of the water transparency, construction durability of the pool, presence of unwanted animals and pests • To winterize your pool, turn off the valves to the pool and drain all of the lines; store the pump in a clean, dry location; then the pool is ready for winter • Winterize the skimmer by capping and storing in a clean, dry location • The walls of the pool must be constantly clean either through manual means or a pool robot • Weekly checks of the pump, skimmers, distributor, and filters

Figure 20: Maintenance Table - a Brief Overview

image source: BIOTOP Natural Pools

A close-up of the interaction wall between the swimming zone and regeneration zone.

77

Works Cited Berger, Frank von. Swimming Ponds: Natural Pleasure in Your Garden. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Pub., 2010. Print.

“BIOTOP Natural Pools | Garden Ponds | Nature Pools.” N. p., n.d. Web. 11 May 2014.

Germany. Landscaping and Landscape Development Research Society – FLL. Recommendations for Planning, Construction, Servicing and Operating of Outdoor Swimming Pools with Biological Water Purification. 2nd ed. 2013. Print.

Germany. Landscaping and Landscape Development Research Society – FLL. Recommendations for Planning, Construction, and Maintenance of Private Swimming and Natural Pools. 1st ed. 2007.

Print.

Littlewood, Michael. Natural Swimming Pools a Guide for Building. Clenze: Agrimedia, 2008. Print.

Littlewood, Michael. Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration for Harmony with Nature. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Pub., 2005. Print.

Littlewood, Michael. Natural Swimming Pools Conventional Pool Conversion Guide. 3rd ed. Hinton St. George: Ecodesignscape, 2013. Print.

Natural Swimming Pools: A Guide to Designing & Building Your Own. Dir. David Pagan Butler. Perf.

David Pagan Butler. Permanent Publications, 2010. DVD. “Swim University - The Ultimate Guide to Pool & Hot Tub Care.” Swim University. N. p., n.d. Web. 11 May 2014.

Taute, Michelle. “Pristine Swimming.” Landscape Architecture: The Magazine of the American Society of Landscape Architects. March 2003: N.p. Print.

VanHoof, Jean, and Marc Slootmaekers. The most beautiful natural pools = De mooiste zwemvijvers = Les plus beaux bassins de baignade = Die schönsten Schwimmteiche. Tielt: Lannoo, 2012. Print.

Weixler, Richard, and Wolfgang Hauer. Garden and Swimming Ponds: Building, Planting, Care.

Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2010. Print.

78

Chapter 6 THE LOAD

Definition of Terms FILLING WATER Water used to refill the pool lost through evaporation, transpiration and displacement from swimmers.

SWIMMER LOAD The number of persons in the pool area at any given moment, or during a stated period of time.

The Retrofit

Up to this point, all of the natural swimming pools we have looked at deal with a swimmer load of three to four people, or a single family household, with a moderate frequency of use. In this chapter, we look at what happens when we increase the swimmer load and frequency of use. We analyze this change by conceptualizing a retrofit of an existing outdoor swimming pool: the Eugene Swim and Tennis Club in Eugene, Oregon.

81

THE POLICY

The typologies created in the previous chapter are for private pools. To analyze a pool in the public sector with a larger swimming load, there is one primary resource: FLL Recommendations for Planning, Construction, Servicing and Operating of Outdoor Swimming Pools with Biological Water Purification (2013). The 2013 FLL recommendations established the policy for sizing, dimensioning, and analyzing the water for public natural swimming pools.

In the United States, each state establishes policies for the public swimming pool sector.

In Oregon, the Oregon Health Authority has created the Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 333 - Division 60: Public Swimming Pools (2013). Both the FLL recommendations and the Oregon rules are used in this chapter.

THE SITUATION

The Eugene Swim and Tennis Club (ESTC) located at 2766 Crescent Ave, Eugene, Oregon is a private, non-profit fitness organization.

Their outdoor swimming pool is six lanes, fifteen yards wide, and twenty-five yards long with a total surface area of 375yd2. As the pool is 82

The site is in Northwest Eugene, Oregon.

outdoors in the temperate climate of Eugene, it is only open May through October. In July, the pool receives its heaviest use, with an average of 13,000 swimmers, or approximately 420 swimmers per day.

According to the FLL recommendations, there are four essential factors when considering the design of a larger pool system: • chosen purification processes • size of site • peak number of visitors (swimmer load) • and infrastructure (available and potential) (Germany 2013).

Because this is a hypothetical retrofit to an existing pool, the needed infrastructure is already in place. This makes the chosen purification process, size of the site, and the number of visitors the deciding factors for the design.

For the purification process, let’s consider the Diplomat’s guidelines for the design scenario.

The Diplomat is a single-chamber system with

Figure 21: An Aerial View of the ESTC The site sits on the corner of Crescent Ave & Coburg Rd. 83

no biological filter technology; 60% of the pool has a required depth of 2.3yd; and the regeneration zone is 40% of the total surface area.

There is an abundant amount of open space available on the site (see Figure 21: An Aerial View of the ESTC). There are a few static aspects of the site: the open-air tennis courts to the west of the pool and closed building courts to the east. South of the swimming pool is a children’s pool, a playground, a basketball court, a sand volleyball court, and a large swath of grass. Surrounding the pool is a large concrete slab. The children’s pool, the playground, the basketball court, the volleyball court, and the concrete slab are considered

6,625yd2

84

Diagram of available design space.

mobile elements in this design, granting approximately 6,625yd2 of available design space.

The final consideration in the swimming pool design is the peak number of visitors (referred to as the swimmer load throughout this project).

I have used two ways to illustrate the swimmer load’s effect on the site. The first concept retrofits the site while retaining existing infrastructure.

The second concept retains peak swimmer load.

CONCEPT I - RETAINING INFRASTRUCTURE The dimensions of the ESTC swimming zone and regeneration zone are guided by the existing infrastructure and the design guidelines of the Diplomat typology. The ESTC has 375yd2 of surface area in the swimming zone. The Diplomat designates 60% of total surface area to the swimming zone. 375yd2 is 60% of a total surface area of 625yd2, which leaves 250yd2 of surface area minimum for the regeneration zone. However, many resources recommended that public natural

N 4’ 0

16’ 8’

32’

Figure 22: The Diplomat Concept I - Retaining Infrastructure The complete site illustrating the retrofit of the pool in the middle. lounging onlooker swimmer

regeneration zone swimming zone

boardwalk 85

swimming pools as designate 50% of the total surface area for the regeneration zone when using a Diplomat typology (Berger; Weixler).

For the purposes of this design I am using a 50% dimension for the regeneration zone.

Figure 22: The Diplomat Concept I - Retaining Infrastructure illustrates a 50/50 design and the size relationship to existing elements on the site.

Figure 23: North/South Section of the ESTC retrofit illustrates the entry, swimming zone and regeneration zone. Figure 24: The Diplomat Retrofit Close-up illustrates circulation around the pool and access to the pool. In this closeup, we see how little the surrounding buildings and functions are changed. The retrofit sits snugly on current concrete and still leaves plenty of space for sunbathing and access ways. Retrofitting the regeneration zone 6 yd

pool fits seamlessly into the current design of the ESTC. However, the drawback to retrofitting this pool has to do with swimmer load.

A CLOSER LOOK AT SWIMMER LOAD Per day swimmer load estimation is a dependent factor of the total surface area of the swimming zone. In other words, how many swimmers are allowed in the pool depends on the size of the pool. In previous versions of the FLL recommendations for public swimming pools, the swimming zone and the regeneration zone were dimensioned with a straight scaling factor of 11yd3 of water per swimmer in the swimming zone (Germany 2013). For instance, if you wanted to have a daily swimmer load of 75 swimmers, you would multiply 75 by 11yd3 and thereby obtain the dimensions for both the swimming zone and the regeneration zone.

swimming zone 31 yd 16 yd 60% at 2.3yd of deep water

Figure 23: North/South Section of the ESTC retroďŹ t 86

entry zone 9 yd

4’ 0

8’

lounging onlooker swimmer boardwalk

N

16’ 32’

circulation along perimeter of pool circulation of pool access regeneration zone swimming zone

Figure 24: The Diplomat Retrofit Close-up

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As knowledge of how NSP’s biological processes clean the water has advanced, dimensioning per person has become more sophisticated and is dependent on a variety of calculations. The calculations include variables: • concentration of nutrients and microorganisms in the filling water • flow of filling water • volume flow of purification system • elimination rate of purification system • and pool volume.

And constants: • zooplankton’s time to eliminate a substance • the filter system’s time to eliminate a substance • concentration of substances or microorganisms in the swimming zone • and influx of substances or microorganisms per swimmer (Germany 2013).

These calculations are used to determine the 88

potential swimmer load or to determine the size of the regeneration zone. For further information on the calculations refer to Annex 1 of the 2013 FLL Recommendations for Planning, Construction, Servicing and Operating of Outdoor Swimming Pools with Biological Water Purification.

As this is a hypothetical design scenario and many of the factors required for the calculations are unknown, I will use the 2013 FLL recommendations for baseline dimensioning.

The Diplomat uses a baseline dimension of 11yd3 of total water volume per swimmer in the swimming zone. If we were to create a design scenario using a typology with more component technology, like the Initiator, the baseline dimension would be 3.8yd3.

The ESTC pool has a surface area of 375yd2.

For the retrofit, 64% of the pool must be 6.5’ (2.2yd) deep and the remaining 36% of the pool is an entry zone with a sloped floor.

These two dimensions give an estimated total water volume of 690yd3. 690yd3 divided by the baseline dimension of 11yd3 designates a swimmer load of 62 per day.

As a comparison, the Oregon Health Authority assumes a chlorine system and determines swimmer loads of outdoor swimming pools with an area less than 2000ft2 (666yd2) by dividing the area by 24 (Oregon 11). According to the Oregon Health Authority, the ESTC, with a total surface area of 1,125ft2 (375yd2), has a swimmer load of 47 at any one point in time. 47 swimmers at a time has the potential to translate into 658 swimmers per day if the pool is open for 14 hours and each swimmer spends one hour in the pool.

A swimmer load of 658 swimmers per day is vastly different than 62 swimmers per day. The public natural swimming pools in Europe have an enormous surface area, with a much larger capacity. If we used a different typology with more component technology, like the Initiator or the Modernist, the baseline factor is 3.8yd3 and the swimmer load increases to 181 visitors per day. However, 181 is still a significantly smaller number than 658.

CONCEPT II - RETAINING CURRENT SWIMMER LOAD While Concept 1 retains existing infrastructure,

A photo of the ESTC’s pool’s concrete area that could be replaced in the NSP retrofit design by regeneration area in Concept I. 89

making the retrofit a rather inexpensive option, it significantly reduces swimmer load, making Concept 1 unrealistic. Concept 2 retains swimmer load and takes advantage of the 6,625yd2 on-site.

swimming pool design. However, this drawback is significantly reduced in the private market.

Using ESTC’s peak swimmer load of 13,000 swimmers in the month of July and Oregon Health Authorities policy of 47 swimmers at any one point during the day, our estimation is going to include 500 swimmers a day, which would allow for each swimmer spending a little over an hour in the pool.

The Diplomat’s requirement of 11yd3 per person would mean that 500 swimmers need 5,500 yd3 of water. In the Diplomat, 60% of the water is required to be 2.3yd deep. Estimating an average depth of 1.15yd for the remaining 40% of the pool equates to 3,347yd2 of surface area required for the swimming zone.

The same surface area is duplicated in the regeneration zone for a total of 6,694yd2 required for the swimming pool.

The limited swimmer load or the large square footage is a drawback to the public natural 90

8,750 yd2

Diagram of available design space.

LAKE-LIKE PLAY AREA

connective regeneration areas

OLYMPIC SIZED POOL

N 4’ 0

16’ 8’

32’

Figure 25: The Diplomat Concept II - Retaining Swimmer Load lounging onlooker swimmer

regeneration zone swimming zone

boardwalk

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Works Cited Berger, Frank von. Swimming Ponds: Natural Pleasure in Your Garden. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Pub., 2010. Print.

Germany. Landscaping and Landscape Development Research Society – FLL. Recommendations for Planning, Construction, Servicing and Operating of Outdoor Swimming Pools with Biological Water Purification. 2nd ed. 2013. Print.

Oregon Health Authority. “Public Health Division: Oregon Administrative Rules: Chapter 333 Division 60: Public Swimming Pools”. Revised 2013. Print.

Weixler, Richard, and Wolfgang Hauer. Garden and Swimming Ponds: Building, Planting, Care.

Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2010. Print.

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Chapter 7 CONCLUSION

Future Research The study of Natural Swimming Pools is a stimulating topic with a multitude of possibilities for future research. Future topics range from design, to sociological, to scientific. In the design category of research: • creating plant palettes for regions • investigating maintenance needs for regions, • investigating more specific site design and covered pool options, • cost analysis of maintenance and electricity usage between natural pool types, • and creating a framework for implementation in municipalities.

In the sociological category: • dark waters: a study of clarity acceptance among the United States culture.

In the scientific category: • investigating natural swimming

pools tolerance of indoor settings (lessened UV), • documentation of the biological functions in each technological component, • comparison of natural pools with nonchlorine based chemical alternatives, • and discovering the ecological values among water plant species.

Final Words Chlorine is a powerful sanitizer, but as an acid, it has toxic effects on our bodily systems.

Some of the most catastrophic effects are only now being discovered. Not only that, chlorine creates toxic water that is not potable and must be flushed through our sewer system for processing. In a time when water is becoming precious, the ethics of water use and waste must be raised to a higher level. The negative health and environmental effects of using chlorine far outweigh the benefits of using chlorine as a water sanitizer.

Europeans have built over 20,000 natural swimming pools that are in municipal and private use (Littlewood). Natural swimming pools use no chemicals and work with nature to create sanitary water. The water in these pools is potable, has environmental value, and poses limited health risks.

With only about 100 of these pools built in the United States, it is time that we embrace this new technology and let our swimming pools literally go green.

This document serves as a basic primer for understanding how natural swimming pools work. There are many aspects of natural swimming pools which were not covered in this document. For a complete understanding of their requirements in Germany, please refer to the FLL guidelines for municipal and private pools. The German guidelines fall short of what may be required for the United States market.

The next step in developing natural swimming pools is designing guidelines and policies specific to the United States.

Swimming pools have the potential to be more than simply a backyard frivolity. With natural swimming pools, we have the potential of to create mini wetland ecosystems across our cities that serve the dual purpose of places of pleasure and water purification systems.

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schluss (the end)

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Cover Image Source: “Found in Mom’s Basement.” ‘Found in Mom’s Basement’ 27 Oct. 2008. Web. 17 May 2014.

Appendix A LOST IN TRANSLATION, NSP REFERENCES

What follows is a specific discussion of the various NSP resources, including their intended audience and their comprehensiveness.

Starting with one of the most comprehensive resources, Richard Weixler’s book Garden Pools & Swimming Ponds: Design, Construction, and Landscape is one of the translations reaching the American market. Originally published in Austria in1997 and re-worked in 2007, it was translated into English and published in 2010 by Schiffer Publishing. Mr. Weixler’s book has the most encompassing look at the design, construction, and care of NSP systems available. Weixler approaches NSP systems from the perspective of an ecologist. He built his first 3,280 sq ft swimming pond in 1976 in upper Austria. Even though Mr. Weixler wrote a comprehensive “how to” manual for NSP systems, he strongly advocates for the layman to hire a professional. He mentions that the layman often encounters higher costs through errors and buying cheap products, which may lead to future pond failures. In the end, this books gives a good overview of all aspects of building and maintaining the pools.

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Our next writer on NSP systems is Michael Littlewood. Michael LIttlewood is a British Landscape Designer who has written three books on the building of NSPs. His first book written in 2005 and reprinted in 2013, is called Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration for Harmony with Nature; with many pictures, this book serves more as a marketing tool for the NSP movement. It answers typical client questions and explains the functionality of the systems in simple language. That said, it is comprehensive, covering all aspects of design and construction. The back of the book contains a number of architectural details and an extremely comprehensive plant list.

Mr. Littlewood’s second book, published in 2008, Natural Swimming Pools: A Guide for Building, is directed toward the home builder the home builder who understands construction techniques. The type of pool system advocated in this book is the most basic, with little technology. The pools do use: circulation pump, filter, skimmers, swimming area, and regeneration zone. The third book in Mr. Littlewood’s series is a self-published pamphlet called, Natural Swimming Pools: Conventional

Pool Conversion Guide. This 48 page pamphlet seems intended as a marketing tool for the layman to get inspired for a chlorine pool conversion. It covers the basics of how to do a conversion and shows examples of successful conversions. The images are sometimes of low quality and the pamphlet does not justify its $32.50 shelf price. The conversation around conversions is a rather important one for the American market. Americans, with their 10.6 million swimming pools, already have much of the infrastructure for the pool already in place.

Frank von Berger’s book, Swimming Ponds: Natural Pleasure in Your Garden, Design, Technology and Maintenance combines case studies with inspiration with basic technology.

The audience for this book is the layman and it serves as inspiration for design. Peter Petrich, the owner of an Austrian NSPs construction company, Biotop, wrote the forward for the book and, with that, the book seems to lean in Biotop’s direction as far as selected case studies and information on technology. In the forward, Mr. Petrich sums up the book with “[t]he book gives no recommendations for swimming-pond

systems. Nor does it include any instructions for building them yourself. Rather it contains many tips and experiences from practice…” (von Berger, 7).

The final book in my natural swimming pool resource list is Jean VanHoof’s The Most Beautiful Natural Pools. A beautiful book, full color, with single images straddling two pages, this book is obviously a coffee-table book. The text is written in four languages, making it a cross-cultural marketing book. The text covers all of the basics of natural swimming pools.

Photographer Marc Slootmaekers captures images of pools across Europe. The specific pool images are not referenced or described in the book. In Belgium, Jean VanHoof is considered a gardening expert. He has a TV show, Green Fingers, and has written several other books: 101 Pond Questions, Natural Swimming Pools, and Swimming Ponds, Natural Water Fun in the Garden. At this time only The Most Beautiful Natural Pools has been translated into English. This is the only book in the NSP resource list that has the simple goal of marketing these pools, and it is incredibly

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successful at its goal. The only shortfall of this book is how all of the translations make it difficult to follow Mr. VanHoof’s story about natural swimming pools.

David Pagan Butler of Organic Pools, United Kingdom has created a DVD called, Natural Swimming Pools: A Guide to Designing & Building Your Own. On the DVD, Mr. Butler shows an easy-to-follow system for creating your own Natural Swimming Pool in a backyard. Mr. Butler also covers the difficulties he experienced when trying to figure out how to the build the pools and some of the mistakes he made in his first pool. He implies that with a little knowhow, a back hoe, and a hard-working buddy you can create a Natural Swimming Pool in your backyard. His DVD is accompanied by a detailed PDF called Organic Pools DIY Manual.

Another PDF resource available to the English speaker is Germany’s Recommendations for the Planning, Construction and Maintenance of Private Swimming and Natural Pools. This 2007 PDF was published by The Landscape and Landscape Development Research Society (FLL) in cooperation with The International 100

Organization for Natural Bathing Waters (IOB).

The IOB is the “governing body of swimming pond experts” (IOB). This is a rules and policy document for private Natural Swimming Pools, a document expected to be applied throughout Germany and used as a guiding document for developing NSP policies in other countries.

The FLL has published another document directed toward public pools titled Recommendations for Planning, Construction, Servicing and Operation of Outdoor Swimming Pools with Biological Water Purification (Swimming and Bathing Ponds). First published in 2008 it was updated and revised in 2011 and translated to English in 2013. The document was created in cooperation with the German Association for the Recreational and Medicinal Bath Industry, the German Association for Natural Bathing Water (IOB), and the German Swimming Association. In addition, it was edited by the Rulebook Committee for “Public Swimming/ Bathing Ponds” and the “Swimming and Bathing Ponds” committee. This is a large number of contributors for one document and demonstrates the importance of natural bathing

to the German culture.

built and maintained.

The final resources worth mentioning are the many journal articles written about the topic. As a new technology for the United States it is the journalists who have researched, written and reached out to the NSP community abroad. A few of the articles worth noting:

• And finally there is Landscape Architecture Magazine’s article by Michelle Taute, “Pristine Swimming: with a Nod to Mother Nature, European Designers Keep Pools Clean and Safe without Resorting to Chemicals.” This article, written back in March of 2003, documents Europe’s movement toward NSPs and how they work. It also includes an adopter’s experience (one of the only articles I’ve discovered which covers this aspect) and how the United States is responding to the movement.

• John Rita’s, 2011 article on the HouseLogic website, “Natural Swimming Pools: 9 Myths Busted,” is a well-researched slide show. The viewer comments below the article demonstrate that many people still do not understand or support this type of system.

• Back in 2002, Mother Earth News published an online article, “How to Build a Natural Swimming Pool” with a slide show courtesy of Biotop, the NSP builder in Austria. The comprehensive article covers everything from construction to zoning.

• In August of 2012, Natural Life Magazine’s Ellen Rowland wrote a comprehensive article explaining the dangers of chlorine and how NSPs are

This last article serves to reinforce the importance of the NSP movement within the field of Landscape Architecture. The Landscape Architect harnesses water and shapes the land, the swimming pool shows how the landscape architect harnesses water in modern times.

The diagram on page 102 illustrate the spectrum of NSP resources and their intended audience. While the references are varied, with some unsubstantiated by official channels, they all state the benefits of building NSPs. 101

The pools are long lasting, healthy, beautiful, environmentally friendly, an ecological boon, and, as a new technology, appear a success.

intended audience

layman home DIY’er

Littlewood’s Inspiration Littlewood’s Building

articles Littlewood’s Conversion

Vanhoof von Berger

pool builder natural pool builder minimum

FLL Weixler

technology of pools

maximum

less more comprehensiveness of resource The above diagram summarizes the comprehensiveness, the amount of technology used in the pools discussed, and the intended audience for the different resources.

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Works Cited Berger, Frank von. Swimming Ponds: Natural Pleasure in Your Garden. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Pub., 2010. Print.

Buege, Douglas and Vicky Uhland. “How to Build a Natural Swimming Pool - Mother Earth News.”

Mother Earth News. August/September 2002, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.

Germany. Landscaping and Landscape Development Research Society – FLL. Recommendations for Planning, Construction, Servicing and Operating of Outdoor Swimming Pools with Biological Water Purification. 2nd ed. 2013. Print.

Germany. Landscaping and Landscape Development Research Society – FLL. Recommendations for Planning, Construction, and Maintenance eof Private Swimming and Natural Pools. 1st ed.

2007. Print.

“IOB - We about Us.” IOB - We about Us. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.

Littlewood, Michael. Natural Swimming Pools a Guide for Building. Clenze: Agrimedia, 2008. Print.

Littlewood, Michael. Natural Swimming Pools: Inspiration for Harmony with Nature. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Pub., 2005. Print.

Littlewood, Michael. Natural Swimming Pools Conventional Pool Conversion Guide. 3rd ed. Hinton St. George: Ecodesignscape, 2013. Print.

Natural Swimming Pools: A Guide to Designing & Building Your Own. Dir. David Pagan Butler. Perf.

David Pagan Butler. Permanent Publications, 2010. DVD. Rita, John. “Natural Swimming Pools: 9 Myths Busted.” Houselogic. N.p., 2011. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.

Rowland, Ellen. “Natural Swimming Pools: A Safe and Healthy Alternative.” Natural Life Magazine.

August 2012: N.p. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.

Taute, Michelle. “Pristine Swimming.” Landscape Architecture: The Magazine of the American Society of Landscape Architects. March 2003: N.p. Print.

VanHoof, Jean, and Marc Slootmaekers. The most beautiful natural pools = De mooiste zwemvijvers = Les plus beaux bassins de baignade = Die schönsten Schwimmteiche. Tielt: Lannoo, 2012. Print.

Weixler, Richard, and Wolfgang Hauer. Garden and Swimming Ponds: Building, Planting, Care.

Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2010. Print.

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS ALGAE A simple nonflowering plant of a large group that includes the seaweeds and many single-celled forms. “The algae species that float freely in the open water of lakes or rivers are called phytoplankton” (Dodson 47).

ARTIFICIAL Made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally, typically as a copy of something natural.

BACTERIUM/BACTERIA “[U]biquitous one-celled organisms, spherical, spiral, or rod–shaped… various species of which are involved in fermentation, putrefaction, infectious diseases, or nitrogen fixation” (Bacterium).

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the most common compound of chlorine [is] sodium chloride (common salt)” and is the “21st most abundant chemical element in the Earth’s crust” (Chlorine).

CHOLERA “[A]n infection of the small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholera” and transmitted by contaminated food and water (Cholera).

CLEAN WATER Water which has been through the regeneration zone, purifying it, rendering the water potable.

ECOSYSTEM A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment”.

BIOFILMS A thin, slimy film of surface-associated microbial cells that adheres to the water’s surface, usually consisting of bacteria, fungi, phytoplankton and zooplankton.

ELECTRON A stable subatomic particle with a charge of negative electricity, found in all atoms and acting as the primary carrier of electricity in solids.

CHLORINE “[A] chemical element with symbol Cl…

EUTROPHIC Of a lake or other body of water rich in nutrients and so supporting a dense plant

population, the decomposition of which kills animal life by depriving it of oxygen.

stomach in dilute form. Formerly called: muriatic acid (Hydrochloric).

FERMENTATION “[R]efer[s] to the bulk growth of microorganisms on a growth medium”, in this case, the medium is the water (Fermentation).

HYPOCHLOROUS ACID “[A] weak acid with the chemical formula HOCl. It forms when chlorine dissolves in water, and it is HOCl that actually does the disinfection when chlorine is used to disinfect water for human use” (Hypochlorous).

FILLING WATER Water used to refill the pool lost through evaporation, transpiration and displacement from swimmers.

FILTRATION ZONE “Filter body which is either planted or unplanted and through which the water flows in a controlled manner” (Germany 2007).

HYDROCHLORIC ACID (HYDROGEN CHLORIDE) A clear, colorless, fuming, poisonous, highly acidic aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride, HCl, used as a chemical intermediate and in petroleum production, ore reduction, food processing, pickling, and metal cleaning. It is found in the

LAKE A large body of water surrounded by land. “…[T]ypically deeper than 3 meters, with an area of greater than about 1-10 hectares (ha)” (Dodson 12).

LIMNOLOGY The study of the biological, chemical, and physical features of “inland waters, including lakes, streams, and wetlands” (Dodson 4).

MICROBE/MICROORGANISM/ MICROBIAL A microscopic organism, esp. a bacterium, virus, or fungus.

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MULTI-CHAMBER SYSTEM The swimming and regeneration area are separated by structural means into standalone basins / chambers.

NATATORIUM “[A] building containing a swimming pool” (Cholera).

NATURAL SWIMMING POOL A swimming pool system designed to be sealed against the subsoil and comprised of the swimming area and the regeneration area. It has defined requirements in terms of water quality. The water is cleansed biologically, and / or with technology that performs bio-mimicry functions.

ORGANISM An individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form.

OXIDATION Oxidation is a chemical process of an agent, such as hydrochloric acid, gaining electrons from other elements.

PH “[A] measure of the acidity or basicity of an 106

aqueous solution. Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline. Pure water has pH very close to 7” (pH).

PHOTOSYNTHESIS The processes by which organisms (typically plants or single-celled life forms) that contain chlorophyll “use the energy of sunlight to reduce carbon dioxide to carbohydrate” (Dodson 214).

PHYTOPLANKTON “[S]mall photosynthetic organisms suspended in the water” (Dodson 45).

PLANTING ZONE “Substrate and layer which is planted and through which the water flows in a noncontrolled manner” (Germany 2007.

POND “[A] relatively small body of water [surrounded by land], with an area of 1-10 ha or less, and often shallow…(less than 3 m)…” (Dodson 12).

QUAGMIRE A boggy area of the land (the land in the hypertropic stage) in an awkward, complex, or hazardous situation.

REGENERATION AREA “The area used for biological, physical and physical/chemical purification of the water which is not accessible to swimmers.

It is comprised of the: plant zone and/or filtration zone...

Synonyms: cleaning, regeneration, filtration, plant area / zone…”

(Germany 2007) RESPIRATION A process shared by all living organisms is the act or process of inhaling and exhaling; breathing. Carbon dioxide and water are waste products. Oxygen drives the process which provides cells with energy.

“Respiration is basically the photosynthesis equation running backwards” (Dodson 212).

RIVER POOL Enclosed structures, typically wooden, built in a river, which use circulation of river water as a sanitation method.

SINGLE-CHAMBER SYSTEM The swimming and regeneration area are located within a single basin / chamber.

STAGNANT WATER A body of water having no current or flow… “[It] can be a major environmental hazard” (Stagnant).

SWIMMING The sport or activity of propelling oneself through water using the limbs.

SWIMMING AREA “The area designated for swimming.

Synonyms: usage area, swimming zone” (Germany 2007) SWIMMER LOAD The number of persons in the pool area at any given moment, or during a stated period of time.

SWIMMING POOL An artificial body of water used for swimming.

TRANSPIRATION “[T]he process by which moisture is carried 107

through plants from root to small pores on the underside of leaves, where it changes to vapor and is released to the atmosphere” (Transpiration).

land surrounding a lake or stream, open water, the sediments, wetlands, and living compartments such as the plankton or aquatic vegetation” (Dodson 16).

TROPHIC “[R]efers to food, and by extension, energy or chemical nutrients” (Dodson 16).

ZOOPLANKTON “[A]re small animals (…mostly nonphotosynthetic protozoans & invertebrate animals) that live in open water” (Dodson 48).

TROPHIC MODEL “[S]hows who eats whom, and thereby indicates relationships of competition (struggle for a limited resource such as food) and predation (one organism using another for food).”

Or it is the description of “diets of organisms and transfers of chemicals (especially carbon and nitrogen) among species or among parts of the habitat” (Dodson 16).

Or it could be described as “[t]he trophic model employs the concept of storage compartments of energy or of a specific nutrient (such as nitrogen) in a lake, and uses arrows to show how the energy or nutrient moves between storage compartments.

Storage compartments could include the

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Tristan Fields, MLA Candidate 2014