In the U.S., naturally filtered swimming pools have be virtually nonexistent in the U.S.; therefore, to experience one you either had to travel to Europe or build one in your own back yard.
Europeans have enjoyed swimming within these spectacular green waters since the 1980s, with the first ones being built within Austria and Germany; however, due to many strict state-mandated regulations around the use of chemicals in public pools, up until now, Americans have had to persevere with pale blue, chlorinated waters.
On July 24, 2015, after being delayed for several months, the Webber Park in Minneapolis opened the first natural public swimming pool in the US. Costing roughly $6 million in funding, the natural swimming pool features a shallow end and a deep end; a deeper jumping platform, lap swimming lanes, and “holds over 500,000 gallons of water.”
To keep these spectacular green waters sanitary, a “biological filtration system” is used to clean the pools waters, eliminating the need for conventional pool cleaning chemicals. In turn, this has allowed the pool to become home to live turtles and frogs.
Every 12 hours the water drains out of the pool and into an “regeneration basin,” filled with over 7,000 different aquatic plants rooted in gravel and limestone. The bacteria and nutrients within the water are then consumed by the plants, whilst any remaining bacteria adheres to the gravel. Finally, simple vacuums are used to clear any debris on the pools surface.
All-natural swimming pools not only look like stunning natural creations, they are also much safer to use than the chemically treated pools most of us are accustomed to. Every year, 4,000-5,000 emergency room visits are related to pool chemicals. In addition, the use of natural pools also eliminates the environmental concerns associated with the disposal of harsh pool chemicals.
The website Upworthy quoted Jayne Miller, Superintendent of the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, as saying: “We have a responsibility to be good stewards of public land and public water. It’s consistent with our mission.”
Unfortunately, at this moment, the Webber Natural Swimming Pool is not open to the public seven days a week. Although the pools major construction work is completed, “the pool’s unique water management systems need ongoing monitoring and additional specialized robotic equipment for maintaining the pool before the pool can open daily,” states the Minneapolis parks website.
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