Plant filtered pools for public

PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS THAT DO NOT USE CHEMICALS COULD SOON BE BUILT. MEANWHILE YOU CAN STILL INSTALL THEM AT HOME. Plant-filtered swimming pools that do not use chemicals may be built for

public use. A government health body is currently evaluating potential health risks to the idea. Naturally filtered pools are currently available to build privately but only one is open to

the public in France. The Ministry of Health has granted special authorisation for the public pool in Combloux near to Megève in the Haute-Savoie. Despite its mountain location the design of

the pool keeps the water temperature at 26oc through its layout and filtering processes. It uses no fuel, no renewable energy and does not change its water. Swiss company Bioteich has

installed more than 100 of these pools for private clients in France in the past year. President Bernard Depoorter said: “The majority of our clients are attracted by the idea of having an

‘extra garden’ but of an aquatic nature and which looks pretty all year round.” The process uses several different basins filled with plants to clean the water which then fills the swimming

pool. Water falls from a cascade into a regeneration zone were it is oxygenated and heated in shallows lined with white pebbles to reflect more heat into the pool. It then moves into the

main bathing area before being drawn into the filtration section which is lined with plants specifically chosen for their ability to filter out organic material. The water is kept moving

constantly so it does not stagnate. While the cost of construction is similar to that of a normal pool, the natural pools need to cover a wider area so tend to be more expensive. For the

process to work the filtration and regenerations zones must be at least one and a half times the size of the bathing area. Bioteich estimates the minimum cost of installation to be €600 per

square metre. Photo: Biotech - Jardi Mèdia / L Pano