Pool's Out For Summer

August 29, 2008

A more efficient swimming pool probably sounds like the least urgent green tech innovation ever, especially when fall is approaching, but we Americans sure like to take a dip. In a recent article, the Arizona Republic reported that the state alone had more than 290,000 in-ground pools at last count in 2006. That equals many, many gallons of water that are drained out every time the pool's chemical levels get out of whack. When water evaporates, it leaves minerals behind that can damage the filtration system and the pool's surface.

Two Arizona companies are competing against each other with services for pool-owners to prevent wasting all that water. Aqua Labz (yes, a Z), based in Tempe, is working on patenting its EcoKlear (yes, a K) method. Essentially the company puts hoses in the chemically-imbalanced pool and the chemicals are filtered through reverse osmosis. The process takes a couple days and costs between $150-$300, depending on the pool's calcium levels. Calsaway Pool Services, also in Arizona, has a patent-pending system, too. Its process relies on a mobile filtration truck that removes minerals from the water. While Calsaway's approach takes less time--between 8 and 24 hours--it costs at least $450.

Personally, if I were ever in a position to consider a pool installation, I'd probably spring for a non-chlorine option. Total Habitat, based in Bonner Springs, Kansas, makes natural swimming pools that rely on a particular combination of water plants to filter out bacteria and other nasties. If you're tempted to tell me to go jump in a lake after all this pool talk--it's too late. Already did that.

Photo Credit: Flickr user Chaps1.

Comments

[Jasmine Esquivel]

Pool's out for summer
Jasmine Esquivel Urdaneta
403

I think the article is very interesting because is true that now a day we are having a serious problem with water because many people don't use it in the right way and they waste a lot of water, and trough the pass of time there will come a day when there will not be enough water for all.
I know it would be great to have a pool in our home but before thinking of having a pool we should think about the consequences that it brings, because the chemicals that it has not only contaminates the water, but also the air and that affects us too.
Another problem is that many people has a pool in their house and that is a big problem because it means that there is even more waste of water.
If people really want to have a pool, first they should think about all the problems that it could cause so they can take the decision of installing a better pool service and prevent all this problems.

[Daniela Blanco]

I think that it is very interesting beacuse is another way that we are waisting water.
The best idea I think is that we need to serch for new ecological ways of having a pool with out waisting water and with out contaminate with pool chemicals our environment.
Having a pool is great but it damage the water and we can waist so mutch water because in few years we won't have enough water to take a shower or to have even a pool.
So I think that we should prevent all this and we can investigate other ways of having a pool but in an ecological way.

[jose carlos villalobos yañez 402]

This article is extremely interesting as my partner jasmine said there are people that are not concious of what they do with water now a days , i think , they think that water will be useful forever but in my opinion this people are completely out of our reality and this option of natural water pools is something that i really like because most of the people dont like chlorine water because of its taste or many circumstances so im glad there are people trying to change this and most important to try to save water

[Edgar Camargo]

I didn't knew that pool water requiered this cares but in my personal own opinion :P joking, in my opinion it's better if these water stays unused because besaides the owners pay these money to "filter" this water it is contaminated with sunblock creams, and it isn't used in a good way like watering plants or drinking it because when these people have fun in other plases people are dying because of deshidratation.

[Fabiola Avila 401]

I thikn this article is very interestind and i did not know about all the chemicals and all that stuff in the pools that can damage the environement, i think is not that expensive to pay for the pool installation without the chlorine but not a lot of people would like to pay for it

[cecilia ramirez salas]

well its nice information for those who have a pool but also for those who don´t have one because having one is really expensive because of all the things yo need to pay so that the pool is always clean but having a pool is not just money but also is wastineg water and damaging our planet having a non-chlorine pool is a really good way to take care or our planet so that all the water in the pool can de used to water plants and with no chlorine water plant won´t die
cecilia ramirez 404

[Diego Vega]

I think these article is very interesting and very helpfully for the society because in my case y didn't know that the pools could damage the enviroments a cause all the chemicals that they need and we have to do something because those chemicals are so dangerous for the enviroment.
i think the people or the places that have pools needs to buy those things to prevent wasting all that people and we could save more water.

[Rodolfo lara 401]

Well i think this is like something that nowadays is very common, and it remember me a movie name Erin Brockovich that is a story that is real about water.
Is something serious that we have to take control and be worry because we can catch many illness. This articles is of pools but, it can get worse when the water of our houses make us feel bad.

[Lori Cuthbert]

There are pools that don't require any chemicals - my sister has one. The water has a certain amount of salinity in it that keeps organisms at bay. Unfortunately, it's one of the most expensive pools there are. When my son wants to get wet, I bought an inexpensive waterslide that doesn't use so much water. Or we go to the town pool. Pools are up there with chemical lawn care in my mind for top household polluters.