Imagine swimming in an eco-friendly pool of clean, clear water free of chemicals. When traveling through the country, you have the chance to glimpse into urban backyards which boast of swimming pools that are kept in immaculate condition by vacuum cleaners, manual workers, and chemicals. The gardens and landscape surrounding the blue expanses of water usually simulate exotic islands with manicured lawns and paved sidewalks. While these resort style swimming pools are ideal for some, others prefer a more natural setting. And thus, the ecopool popularity is on the rise. These ecologically friendly, non-chemical swimming ponds are bordered by aquatic plants which clean the water and keep it clear.
A large, well known, ecopool is “Beaune Côté Plage.” Located in France, this futuristic swimming pool is chemical-free and 100% natural.
The Beaune Côté Plage harnesses nature to create a naturally filtered system and micro-organisms to maintain clean and clear water. Beneficial bacteria remove nitrates, nitrites, planktonic algae, E.coli, skin oil and fish waste from the water. The ecopool is a closed-loop and does not require daily changing of water. Biological plants filter the water, and the filtered water is then purified by passing it through separate regeneration ponds before being reintroduced into the pool. The maintenance of such a pool is low, as compared to conventional pools that require chemicals, however the cost to build an ecopool is much more expensive.
Although the pool appears picturesque, below the surface there are 10 kilometers of pipes that are checked numerous times a day. Damien Cordelois, a technician at Beaune Côté Plage, says, “We have four pumps that allow us to transfer the water 24 hours a day. Within 12 hours we recycle the complete volume of the pools.” The quality of the water is analyzed four times a week to ensure that the plants are doing their job and the ground is brushed everyday.
The Beaune Côté Plage ecopool is both an art and leisure project. It is the United Kingdom’s first-ever outdoor man-made freshwater public bathing pond. It is 400 m2, 100% natural and utilizes plants to keep the water at a maximum temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. The freshwater public swimming pond can accommodate a maximum of 160 guests daily.
If you are in France and have the opportunity, take your family out to Beaune Côté Plage and experience the ecopool firsthand. The swimming pools have diving boards, water slide, and an aquatic climbing wall. Grassy areas enclose the swimming areas for playing ball games or sunbathing.
If you are ready to transform your own backyard into your dream oasis, contact us today for a free pool design and quote.
