REPOST: Spring Swimming Pool Installation Tips

Swimming pool installation in homes can be complicated. This article lists the questions homeowners must ponder on when considering installing a backyard pool:

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Installing a pool is a large financial investment, and
homeowners considering adding a pool should not take that decision lightly. When attempting to determine if a pool is for them, homeowners may want to ask themselves the following questions.

Is my yard suitable for a pool?

Some yards may not be large enough for pools, while others may not meet the zoning requirements set forth by the town. Still other yards may have soil that’s not suitable for putting in an in-ground pool, or may have a high water table that can delay construction.

What is the average weather?

Will a pool be enjoyed enough to warrant the cost? Homeowners who live in areas that get many hot days will likely get their money’s worth. But if the climate suggests that a pool will sit unused more often than not, perhaps a pool is not the best investment.

Can we afford it?

A pool can range from a few hundred dollars for inflatable or self-installing models to many thousands for elaborate in-ground designs. Your budget will dictate which type of pool you can afford to install.

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How will we use the pool?

Decide if you’re putting in a pool for the kids, to entertain the family or to make an architectural statement in the yard. Having a clear sense of purpose will help to guide the decision-making process.

Who will maintain the pool?

Many homeowners tackle the day-to-day maintenance required to keep their pools clean and safe. Others hire pool cleaners to maintain their pools and ensure the water is properly balanced. Maintenance can cost additional money, so consider this potential cost when determining if a pool is for you.

Are there any safety concerns?

Parents of young children may be hesitant to install a pool, but today’s pool installation codes consider many of the potential hazards of a pool and attempt to eliminate them. Fences surrounding inground pools with self-locking gates, as well as locking ladders for above-ground pools can eliminate accidental falls into unattended pools. Your municipality will have a list of requirements for pools, so peruse the list prior to making your final decision.

If the decision has been made to move ahead with a pool, it can be helpful to understand a few facts about the process of installing a pool.

Always work with a pool-installation company that has earned positive reviews and has a stellar record of service. While this does not guarantee that the job will not encounter problems, contractors with glowing reviews tend to have earned those reviews. Read reviews from unbiased, online customers as well as any friends or family members who have used a particular pool company.

It’s important that
homeowners recognize that the installation of a pool may require some heavy machinery, which can damage lawns. Fence panels may have to be removed to let in excavation equipment. Sand, soil backfill or gravel may be needed to level out a landscape, and things may get noisy and messy when the installation hits full swing.

Some homeowners can handle installing above-ground pools on their own, but less DIY-savvy homeowners may want to leave the installation to a professional installer to ensure the job is done right.

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Always secure the proper permits and inspections prior to using the pool. This not only ensures the safety of swimmers, but also guarantees the pool is legal.

Backyard swimming pools make for an enjoyable place to congregate when the weather is hot. Follow a few guidelines and ask the necessary questions to make a pool installation go more smoothly.

Blue World Pools sells affordable and easy-to-install above ground swimming pools. Visit its official website for more information about its products and services.

REPOST: Is there such a thing as an eco-swimming pool?

Eco-friendly swimming pools are not just a trend anymore. They’ve become a necessity to fight water scarcity and secure a more sustainable future. The Guardian lists down ways people can make their pools greener and better for the environment.

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Is there such a thing as an environmentally friendly swimming pool?

I learnt to swim as a young girl in late 1980s London, where the closest you could get to eco-friendly swimming was a big sign at the local leisure centre reading “OOL: notice there is no P in this pool, please keep it that way.”

At the time, I took for granted school swimming lessons, Sunday mornings at Acton swimming baths, and summers spent in ramshackle houses in the French countryside where ‘la piscine’ took centre stage.

Twenty-five years on, our relationship with water is changing. The municipal pools and piscines françaises are still there - joined now by their increasingly affluent holiday resort cousins - but so are stories of widespread drought in California, water-related food insecurity in Djibouti, dams being used as weapons of war in the Middle East, and a UN prediction that by 2030 almost 50% of the global population could be facing water scarcity.

In this light, it’s hard to see swimming pools as anything besides luxury indulgences that intensify the difference between the haves and have nots. So what are the options for sustainable swimming pools, and are they anything more than bluewash?

Natural pools

Natural pools such as those designed by Bristol-based company Clear Water Revival is a chemical-free, relatively low-tech and affordable way to create an eco-friendly outdoor pool. To build the structure, materials such as gravel and clay are used in place of concrete and fibreglass, and aquatic plants replace chlorine and expensive mechanical filtering systems with natural purification that enriches the pool with oxygen, supports beneficial bacteria, and provides a natural habitat for aquatic life.

Spanish architectural firm Urbanarbolismo specialises in the integration of nature into architecture, designing green roofs and vertical gardens as well as natural pools. They incorporate edible plants such as cress, celery and mint into the design of their ‘piscinas naturales’, as well as small fish and native shrimp to eat mosquito larvae and other unwanted insects.

Moss Bros

Like natural pools, moss-filtered pools reduce the need for chemicals such as chlorine and algaecide since they inhibit the growth of microorganisms. This also reduces water consumption as there is less frequent need to ‘backwash’ the pool to clean it, a process that sends water to waste.

The University of Maryland uses moss to filter two on-campus pools, calculating that this system reduces chemical use by 40% and water consumption by 75%, while saving the university $6,663 (£4,064) per year after moss costs.

Turning up the heat

When the time came for Stanhope Open Air Swimming Pool in County Durham to replace its four boilers recently, the pool’s chairman sought the help of renewable energy experts Opus Green to help it come up with a sustainable energy solution. The result is a plan to install two new energy efficient condensing boilers and 38 solar PV panels which are expected to reduce the council’s contribution to the pool’s annual energy costs by approximately 20%.

Although the US has been slow to catch on to the use of solar heating in homes and businesses since low natural gas prices have traditionally undercut the costs of solar water heating, there’s nothing new about using solar heating in swimming pools, in America and beyond.

In the Netherlands, Raalte’s local swimming pool is heated by warmth from wastewater. Every hour, 40,000 litres of purified wastewater is transported from the wastewater treatment plant to the pool, where heat exchangers extract heat from the wastewater, making it possible to heat the swimming pool water to 30C. This new system saves the pool an average of €57,000 on gas and reduces its carbon dioxide emissions by 137,000kg per year.

Skimming the surface

For those just dipping their toes into the world of sustainable swimming pools, there are a whole range of options to get started with. Covering a pool when its not in use can significantly reduce evaporation and helps to retain heat. Likewise using a windbreak has been demonstrated to make a notable difference to both energy retention and reduced evaporation.

Where pool maintenance is concerned, Poolcare Leisure has calculated that fixing small leaks matter: for each drop of water lost per second, 8,000 litres of water are lost per year. Likewise, cleaning a pool regularly prevents the build up of algae that, in a non-natural pool, may otherwise lead to the depolyment of additional chemicals.

Pooling resources

And finally to sharing. While owning a private pool may be a status symbol, there’s a growing sharing movement that sees neighbours lend everything from cars to tools to dogs which could easily embrace the shared swimming pool too.

One woman doing just that is Jessie Hayes from Queensland. She said: “I love my pool, but I’m also aware that water is a precious resource. My husband and I decided to offer swims in our pool to our neighbours through Streetbank. So far we’ve had four families take us up on the offer - in the main, we just leave them to it. It’s great hearing the squeals as the kids dive in.”

Blue World Pools is a one-stop shop for affordable and top-of-the-line swimming pools and maintenance services. Click here to learn how you can transform your backyard into your own eco-friendly resort at a price you can afford.

REPOST: Expert Tips for Throwing a Pool Party

Bored of floating around your swimming pool to cool off? Why don’t you throw a party with your family and friends instead? Here are expert tips to get you started:

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With summer drawing to a close you might want to consider getting that last dose of hosting in, which conveniently doubles as a practice round before pool party season sneaks up on you in St Barts and Cabo. We caught up with party planner Amy Abbott to get some expert advice on how to make your next poolside gathering go with a splash, not a whimper. You’ll be surprised to find that the super chic Ralph Lauren ad campaign you envisioned can actually happen in real life–and you barely have to break a sweat (or hire models) to be the host with the most.

On paper, the pool party is a concept that promises an effortlessly chic event. Especially if you have a poster-worthy pool. When you picture it, an image of guests clad in classic swimwear, cocktails in hand appears. The sky is hazy, the music is light but essential, the food is present but not center stage. There might even be someone in the pool. But a few small details must be considered in order to promise the decent weather forecast and droves of party-goers get the warm welcome they deserve.
Clear Expectations

The plan for the day should be as clear to your guests as your pool water (side note: vacuum the pool before the party). Your guests will appreciate this, it’s hard to get excited for an event when you’re overwhelmed with uncertainty;”Should I bring a change of clothes? Do I need to eat before coming? Are the kids invited?” Do yourself, and everyone else, a favor by answering these questions before the party begins. For example, if you plan to carry the event into the evening, recommend a change of clothes–nothing kills a vibe more than a wet bathing suit under a sundress. If it’s an all-ages event a simple “Water wings will be provided for the little swimmers!” will get the message across. If there’s a set time guests are to arrive, state it clearly.
Amy’s Pro Tip: A formal invitation isn’t necessary for a casual pool party. An e-mail outlying all of the basics will do.
Safety First

We know. Safety is always the boring part. But it’s the most important factor to ensure your party goes off without a hitch. It’s the small things that make a big difference: have a basket of sunscreen available; if there are children coming, have water wings on hand; extra sun hats are good too. Even if your favorite hosting outfit includes heels, veer away: a slippery poolside deck doesn’t mesh well with platforms. On that note, pick up a few pairs of flip flops for guests and encourage them to get comfortable too. And never forget the cardinal rule of poolside eating and drinking: no glassware!
Amy’s Pro Tip: Keep a designated shade area–not everyone wants to get a tan. Have spray bottles with water around too as a fun way to cool down.
Style your Event

One of the benefits of a pool party is that most of the decorating is already done for you: your garden and man-made waterfall speak for themselves. For a casual outdoor event, it’s always best to keep decorations simple; grab a handful of colorful flowers from the garden and bundle them in a vase. Music, of course, is essential. Many homes are ahead of the game with outdoor Bose sound systems, but if your space isn’t equipped with one, Jawbone‘s Jambox is a colourful, powerful and waterproof alternative that will do the trick.
Amy’s Pro Tip: If you’re planning to provide towels, have them specially monogrammed for your guests to double as great party favors.
Refreshment Round-Up

Remember that pool parties are not dinner parties. Guests aren’t expecting a 7-course meal. Keep it as simple as possible: less mess, less stress. Prepare as many items as you can beforehand, finger foods are ideal because there won’t be any dirty dishes to tend to. Have food dispersed throughout the party area, so no matter where people are congregating, there’s a little something to snack on nearby. Scorching sun, alcohol and an empty stomach aren’t a good combination. Prepare a welcome cocktail for guests as they arrive, and then offer self-serve beer and wine as the party continues. Serve your punch in an enclosed jar with a tap, because no one likes a fly in their drink.
Amy’s Pro Tip: Remember to include a non-alcoholic option for your guests.

Here are two refreshing summer drinks (one with alcohol, one without), to whet your appetite:

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Blue World Pools provides high-quality above ground swimming pools in various locations in the U.S.. To find the right pool for your needs and budget, go here.

REPOST: 10 Reasons to Reconsider the Aboveground Pool

Do you want to install a budget-friendly aboveground swimming pool but fear that it would detract from your home’s landscaping? Read this Yahoo! Shine article for tips on making your backyard pool look more inviting.

Aboveground pools have never been known for high style. Still, they remain a popular and budget-friendly option for those unable—or unwilling—to shell out a fortune for a cool-off spot. These days, however, with pool manufacturers and installers offering new shapes and surround designs, aboveground pools deserve another look. With thoughtful planning and a dose of inspiration, an aboveground pool can be every bit as lovely to the eye and welcoming to swimmers as the in-ground variety. Don't believe it? Click to see proof.

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Natural materials thoughtfully positioned on a sloped site make this aboveground pool appear right at home in the yard. The lesson? To seamlessly blend your pool into the environment, opt for a surround made of local stone or wood.

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On a sloped property, it's possible to position an aboveground pool so that it looks like an in-ground one. A modern wood deck and high-end furniture add to the classy illusion.

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An aboveground pool with a stained or painted wood surround looks appealing from all angles. Shown here, a pool house drives home the feeling of luxurious comfort.

For the rest of the article, click here.

Blue World Pools is a leading supplier of affordable and stylish above ground swimming pools in the U.S. Check out different models of backyard pools on this website.

REPOST: How Swimming Pools Work, Part 3 & 4

Whether above or below ground, the system of pumps and filters are the vital heart that makes the pool work, bringing in clean water and keeping it pristine for use. This article, part of a long series on pools from HowStuffWorks.com, explores the complexities of pool pipe and pump systems.

Pool Drain Systems

We've already seen that the water in a swimming pool needs to circulate through a filtering system, to remove dirt and debris. During normal operation, water flows to the filtering system through two or more main drains at the bottom of the pool and multiple skimmer drains around the top of the pool.

The main drains are usually located on the lowest point in the pool, so the entire pool surface slants toward them. Most of the dirt and debris that sinks exits the pool through these drains. To keep people from getting their hair or limbs caught in the plumbing, the drains are almost always covered with grates or antivortex covers (a cover that diverts the flow of water to prevent a dangerous vortex from forming.

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The skimmers draw water the same way as the main drains, but they suck only from the very top of the pool (the top eighth of an inch, typically). Any debris that floats -- leaves, suntan oil, hair -- leaves the pool through these drains. The diagram below shows a common system.

In the system described here, the floating weir, the door at the inlet passageway, swings in and out to let a very small volume of water in at a time. To catch debris effectively, the goal is to skim just the surface level. The water flows through the strainer basket, which catches any larger debris, such as twigs and leaves. In addition to the main inlet, the skimmer system has a secondary equalizer line leading to a drain below the surface level. This line keeps the skimmer from drawing air into the pump system if the water level drops below the level of the main inlet.

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The water is pumped through the filtering system and back out to returns, inlet valves around the side of the pool. This system involves a lot of suction, but if the pool is built and operated correctly, there is virtually no risk of suction holding somebody against one of the drains. The only way the plumbing system could apply this sort of suction is if there were only one open drain. In a safe pool, there are always multiple main drains as well as several skimmer drains, so if somebody or something blocks one drain, the pumping system will pull water from one of the other drains. This eliminates the suction on the blocked drain.

Most swimming pools also have a couple of vacuum ports, which are only used in pool cleaning. These ports attach to pool vacuum cleaners, which work something like ordinary vacuum cleaners except that they suck water instead of air. The vacuum ports may have their own pumping system, but in most pools they are driven by the main pump.

After making its way into the various drains, the water flows on to the filtering stage. In the next section, we'll find out what the pumping and filtering systems are all about.

Pool Pump Systems

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To most of us, a pool is, more or less, a big hole in the ground. We don't see most of the expensive machinery in a pool system, because it's usually tucked away in nearby pump room. But this is the stuff that really makes the pool work.

The heart of the pool system is the water pump. In a typical pump system, an electric motor spins an impeller inside the pump housing. The impeller drives the water from the various drains through the filter and back out to the water inlets.

Just before it flows into the pump, the water passes through a metal strainer basket that catches leaves and other large debris that might clog up the pump.

Next, the water flows into the filter (or, in this setup, one of two filters). In the next section, you'll find out what happens at this point in the system.

Blue World Pools specializes in the sale and installation of above-ground pools to fit the budget and quality demands of discerning homeowners. Visit this website for a wide selection of above-ground pools.

REPOST: Learning to swim: the incredible joy of jumping in

Swimming is a fun and engaging activity, especially for children. But what's in swimming that kids particularly love? Jane Greene Pettersson shares her insights in this article from The Guardian.

(Leaps and bounds … jumping in could reintroduce that essential element of fun for swimmers of all ages. Photograph: Peter Beavis/Getty Images) Image Source: theguardian.com

When children learn to swim, they do everything through play. Adult learners, all tension and technique, could do with taking a leaf – and a leap – out of their book.

Most children seem to love jumping into the water – the children I teach would spend the whole swimming lesson leaping into the water if I let them. It is unusual, but the other day one of my adult pupils surprised me by asking about jumping and even diving into the water. He is a new swimmer. He's only been learning for a few months so this was brave of him. I think he probably meant "sometime in the future – when I can swim properly". But it got me thinking. I started to wonder what it is the children love about it.

When children learn to swim, perhaps when they learn anything, they want to play all the time. For adults, learning becomes a serious business. It's all about technique and getting it right. When I was a child, we spent hours jumping, diving, getting things off the bottom of the pool, holding our breath for as long as possible, daring each other to leap off the highest boards, flipping backwards into the pool, racing one another until we started to shiver with cold and had to get out. It was through all this playing that we learned to really swim and feel confident and safe in the water.

One little boy that I teach told me that when he jumps in the water is all fizzy, and I realised he was talking about the thousands of tiny bubbles that explode on to your skin when you enter the water forcibly. I started to realise that learning to jump in might be good for the adult learners too – but first I needed to try it out for myself.

Luckily the pool where I swim myself has a deep end. The campaigners who fought against the pool being closed also fought to keep the depth. Management wanted to fill it in. A shallower pool means less water to heat, which is cheaper. Like many pools we have lost the diving boards, but we do still have the luxury of deep water to swim in.

Next time I went swimming I walked straight to the deep end, held my nose and jumped in. It was a surprising sensation, one that I had almost forgotten. The change from air to water is so sudden. You feel and hear the splash as you enter the water and the noisy pool environment is instantly replaced by the muffled silence of the water. Just as my little pupil pointed, out I could feel the tiny bubbles bursting on my skin, and as I had my goggles on I could also see them sparkling around me. As soon as you are submerged, your body starts to feel lighter as the water gently catches you. My instinct was to start paddling my way up to the surface but then I stopped and let the water take over. I wanted to see what would happen if I did nothing at all. I felt myself being lifted towards the surface and within a few seconds my head popped up out of the water. I found myself laughing and I immediately wanted to do it again. When my friend arrived at the pool I told her about my experiment and she wanted to try too. We jumped together. When we came up we were both laughing. We decided to do it again, this time holding hands. We felt like children.

Next time I saw my adult pupil who had started all this in the first place I told him we were going to have to go to a deeper pool so he could try it for himself.

We went to the new pool and after swimming for a few minutes I reminded him why we were there. He climbed out of the water looking nervous. I told him that the only thing he needed to worry about was jumping far enough out not to hit the side of the pool and if he should happen to reach the bottom of the pool to bend his knees on landing. I had already checked out the depth and knew that it was deep enough to jump, but not so deep as to be terrifying. When he was in the pool, he could just about reach the surface of the water if he stood on tiptoe. As we stood on the side looking at the water I offered to hold his hand and jump together. He looked slightly horrified and took a step backwards. I am not sure whether it was fear, embarrassment or a sense of just wanting to get it over with but he gathered his courage, stepped forward, and jumped into the water, for the first time ever. When he came up to the surface he was laughing and said, "I'm going to do that again."

And he did, many times. We have started work on diving. He is not quite Tom Daley yet, but at the age of whatever he is, anyway, quite grown up, he is not only learning to swim but has discovered the incredible joy of jumping in.


Blue World Pools is a leading provider of above ground swimming pools, which can be easily installed in home yards to provide instant swimming fun for children and people of all ages. Check out affordable and kid-friendly swimming pools on this website.

REPOST: Should young boys be banned from women's swimming pool change rooms?

Because a chain of pool centers in Sydney Australia recently instituted a new rule banning children from going into shower rooms with their parents of the opposite sex, popular website Lifehacker.com.au wonders if this should be the case in all swimming pool establishments.

A chain of commercial swimming pool centres in Sydney has introduced a new rule banning young kids from accompanying their parents into different-sex change rooms. Kindergarten-aged children are now required to shower and change by themselves in the gender-appropriate room. Do you think this is an acceptable regulation or has society gone completely bonkers? | Image source: Pool kid picture from Shutterstock via Lifehacker.au

Last month, Aquabliss School of Swim erected signs telling parents that kindergarten-age children are old enough to shower and change on their own. The company made the decision after receiving two complaints from customers who were made uncomfortable by the situation. Not surprisingly, the new rule has caused a storm of controversy with parents taking to social media en masse to voice their displeasure.

The company is now seeking advice on the matter from the government body Swim Australia. (There are currently conflicting reports as to whether the signs have been taken down, with some parents claiming they were simply moved inside the change rooms.)

In any event, the company seems to be sticking by its decision, with a spokesperson telling the Daily Telegraph that they will do what “the industry feels is best.”

We’re not sure why Aquabliss School felt compelled to take such drastic action after receiving only two complaints. The company has separate swimming centres in Lane Cove, Roseville, Pymble, Normanhurst, Thornleigh, Seven Hills and Wenona, so the number of complaints is pretty minuscule in relation to its size.

Like most parents, I often take my daughters swimming solo so my partner can have a break (or, as is more often the case, clean up the house). While my local pool does have a parents’ change room, it’s usually occupied at the exact moment my kids are in desperate need of the loo.

Personally, I think forcing any parent to send their children into a public toilet unattended is just plain wrong. Apart from the obvious “stranger-danger” factor, the presence of slippery, cement floors could also lead to serious accidents; especially if your kids are half-monkey like mine.

Plus, it’s sure to add a lot more pee into the water which isn’t something any of us want.

Blue World Pools is a leader in the custom-designed swimming pools industry. Visit its website

 for more information.

 

Refurbish or demolish? Learn the value of old swimming pools first

Refurbish or demolish? That’s the dilemma of homeowners with old swimming pools wasting away on their yards. While some of them want to keep these amenities but have apprehensions about maintenance cost, others see the added real estate value of in-ground pools.

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Richard Montgomery, a real estate veteran, says that homeowners’ decisions should depend on their “personal preference, lifestyle changes and finances.” Those planning to reuse old pools could renovate them according to designs that cut maintenance prices. Repairs may also be worth the cost if the property is located in a neighborhood where roughly half of the homeowners have swimming pools.

If an old pool becomes an eyesore to a modernized property, it would be best to demolish it. Homeowners can reallocate the money intended for the pool’s renovation and maintenance to other home improvements that add greater value.

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Meanwhile, homeowners who are planning to sell their property in top condition should survey comparable sold homes with and without swimming pools. If recently sold homes with the same size, style, and amenities command a higher sale price even without a swimming pool, refurbishing the old pool is unnecessary.

Because of the difficult choice between revamping and demolishing in-ground swimming pools, many homeowners are now installing above-ground pools. Homeowners could consult with established installers such as Blue World Pools for removable above-ground pools. This would keep away the refurbish or demolish dilemma in the long run.

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Visit this website by Blue World Pools to check out different models of above-ground swimming pools.

REPOST: Unique and Amazing Pools from Around the World

Hundreds of swimming pools worldwide were designed in unique styles. Click here to see some of them.

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When the weather warms up, finding fun ways to cool down can become a real adventure. For many, this means making a splash in the crystal clear waters of an in-ground pool. However, not all pools are created equally.

Several resorts around the world are known for their amazing pools, bringing in tourists from all over to swim in the waters of their awesome aqua amenities. Beachside infinity pools, unique water features, spectacular views, or built-in extras make these destinations totally dip-worthy.

Paradise Island, Bahamas

Themed after the lost city of Atlantis, one of the main attractions at this massive resort is the Aquaventure Waterpark. This one-of-a-kind 141-acre waterscape features more than 20 swimming areas and 11 different pools for adults, children, and families. From the Mayan Temple Pool that sits at the foot of a Mayan Temple replica to the Grotto Pool with two cascading waterfalls to the Harborside Pool with view of Nassau Harbour and the Marina at Atlantis, Atlantis is a mecca for poolside aficionados.

Located just off the shore of the city of Nassau, Atlantis Paradise Island is accessible by two bridges that cross the Nassau Harbor. Overnight guests of Atlantis receive complimentary admission the Aquaventure Waterpark including its pools. Day visitors can purchase passes on a limited basis

Beverly Hills, California

Steeped in Hollywood history, The Beverly Hilton's Aqua Star Pool is a major attraction for the 57-year-old hotel. Home to the Annual Golden Globe Awards, the Aqua Star Pool is a top spot to see and be seen in Beverly Hills. With dimensions of 93 by 36 feet, the hotel pool is the largest in Beverly Hills. Heated year-round to a temperature of 82 degrees, the outdoor oasis has played host to numerous fashion shoots and events. A large projection screen along the side of the pool often features retro surfing scenes, further recreating the atmosphere of the golden age of Hollywood.

Fun fact: After her 1999 Golden Globe win, Angelina Jolie jumped into the hotel's Aqua Star Pool in her awards ceremony gown.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Located on Fremont Street away from the new Las Vegas strip, Golden Nugget is the largest hotel and casino in downtown Las Vegas, also known as "Old Vegas". One of the main attractions at Golden Nugget is a $30 million dollar complex called The Tank. Offering a year-round escape from the desert heat, this swimming pool features a 200,000-gallon live shark tank, a three-story waterslide called The Shark Chute that goes directly through the shark tank and empties into the pool, and private cabanas. For a more adult-friendly poolside experience, Golden Nugget's Hideout boasts a two-level infinity edge pool surrounded by plush cabanas and lounging areas for guests age 16 and older.

Blue World Pools offers a wide range of custom-designed swimming pools, from ecoline units to deluxe models. For the complete catalog, visit the company’s website.

E. coli bacteria thrive in public swimming pools

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Here’s a good reason why it’s better to take a shower at home than wade in public swimming pools.

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of public swimming pools in Atlanta are inhabited by E. coli bacteria, the same bacteria found in feces.

Although the federal agency cannot pinpoint the exact reason for the occurrence of fecal bacteria, they surmise that feces may either be washed off a swimmer’s body or somebody had a bowel movement in the pools. The presence of fecal matter in the pools could also be a result of unhygienic habits of most swimmers—swimming with diapered babies who are not toilet trained and neglecting to take a shower (with soap!) before diving in the waters. Furthermore, people who suffer from diarrhea increase the risk of water contamination. While regular poop in the waters may seem gross, it is the disease-carrying diarrhea that poses threat for swimmers. The skinny-dippers’ urine and sweat inhibit the chlorine’s ability to clean the water.

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Michele Hlavsa, chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthy Swimming Program, has called for people to practice good hygiene when using public swimming pools. “It is time to stop treating the swimming pool as a toilet,” she says. She also stresses out the importance of taking a shower, considering that average people carry .14 grams of feces on their rear end. As more and more swimmers introduce this amount of feces in the waters, E. coli may soon thrive.

As a rule of thumb for those who plan to dip in public swimming pools despite the “shitty” factor, never swallow the water. “Basically, these pools are big bathtubs we all share together,” says the public health official.

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Above ground swimming pools is a fun, safe, and clean alternative to public swimming pools. Blue World Pools offers high quality above ground pools and professional installation at an affordable price. Visit this website to know more about above ground swimming pools.

Swimming pool sanitation in the summer heat

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The coming of spring makes the heat of summer inevitable. In a matter of weeks, the friendly breeze will become dry, warm air which seems to permeate home walls. To stay comfortable, some families opt for 24/7 air conditioning, but this brings electricity bills to an alarming total. An enjoyable alternative is to go for a dip in the cool waters of a pool.


Backyard swimming pools are fairly easy to maintain, but most households cannot afford to have one installed at a whim. Most suburban districts, however, do allow residents to enjoy free use of public pools. In these places, safety becomes the primary concern, as the lifeguard-to-swimmer ratio diminishes throughout the day. In addition to the worry brought about by losing children in the crowd, the sheer number of people sharing the same small space also raises some red flags concerning hygiene.

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Several recently published articles online claim that even chlorinated pool water may contain traces of E. coli resulting from an ineffective water purifying process. It is often inevitable for those swimming in a large pool to swallow some amount of water. While adults are capable of spitting it back out, most children unknowingly swallow this potentially contaminated water.


Swimming pool sanitation is a round-the-clock process. Water, particularly in public pools, should always be pH tested for contaminants and harmful bacteria. Likewise, residents who visit public pools should be vigilant, making sure to shower with soap before and after using the pool, and reminding their children not to ingest any of the chlorinated water.

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Water sanitation is essential in a safe and enjoyable swimming experience. Blue World Pools helps families install all types of pools, equipped with self-cleaning and water purifying systems. Read more about the company’s services on this website.

REPOST: Swimmin' Hole

In this article, Alison Rice goes into detail about the $4 million project to turn the 22-acre Webber Park in north Minneapolis into the country’s first public “natural” swimming pool. 

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After a century of renovations and updates, a Minneapolis park’s swimming hole will return to its freshwater origins and become the nation’s first “natural” public swimming pool.

The $4 million pool project, which is part of a new master plan for the 22-acre Webber Park in north Minneapolis, is currently in the design stage. Construction is expected to begin next year, with a 2014 opening. “We really wanted to create a natural place where people will want to gather,” says Robert Schunicht, vice president of Landform, the Minneapolis planning and engineering firm handling the park’s renovation.

The plans for Webber Park’s new pool are drawing local and national attention. “The community is really excited about this,” says Jon Olson, who represents the neighborhoods near the new pool on the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. At 28,000 square feet of swimming area, the pool will offer triple the recreation space of the park’s aging concrete pool and wading pool — without any of the chlorine. The preliminary design includes lap lanes, a diving area, water slide, and a non-swimmers’ area with a maximum depth of 39 inches.

But instead of the traditional pool chemicals, the Webber Park pool will rely on a European approach that uses a biological, plant-based filtration system. As designed, the water in a natural pool flows from the swimming area to a biological filter and from there it percolates through a regeneration pond filled with hydroponic plants, gravel, and other aggregates.

Unlike some chlorine-free pools, “there are no plants in the swimming pool, and there is no soil,” explains James Robyn, CEO and president of BioNova Natural Pools, a New-Jersey-based branch of the German firm BioNova Global, which will be working with Landform on the project.

The filtered water then returns to the swimming pool via standard pumps and pipes. Depending on the climate where a natural pool is built, those plants can vary. For this installation, the designers are talking with Minnesota growers to develop the right mix of non-invasive, native plants for the filtering, says Brady Halverson, Landform’s project designer.

In terms of materials, the pool’s floor will be lined with a commercial PVC membrane, which less flexible and thicker (60 mil vs. 30 mil) than a residential pool’s vinyl liner. “It’s also field-seamable,” Robyn said. “It comes in rolls. We cut it and heat-weld the pieces together. It doesn’t have to be preconfigured.”

Unlike many traditional swimming pools, there will be no main drains at the Webber pool and theoretically a lower risk of entrapment for users. “We will have Virginia Graeme Baker Act considerations for the [proposed] water slide, because the water used to operate the slide will need high-performance pumps,” Robyn said. “But the biological flow is done with smaller pumps.”

In some ways, the Webber Park project sounds more like a lake than a swimming pool, but that was part of its appeal to the community. “We don’t have lakes on the north side of Minneapolis,” said Olson. “People wanted to be able to go to the beach.”

Fittingly for this project, Webber Park’s very first pool, built in 1910, was a spring-fed swimming pond, according to a city parks history. That original pool was converted to chlorinated city water in the 1920s. The existing pool, scheduled to be demolished in 2012, was built in 1979.

The hybrid nature of the new Webber Park pool required some special considerations. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board operates 60 wading pools, two water parks, and 12 beaches on the city’s lakes, but this project didn’t fall into any of those categories. As a result, the board last spring had to get special state legislature approval to build the Webber pool and regulate it not as a pool, but a public bathing beach. The city only monitors E. coli levels at its beaches, closing them as necessary for health reasons.

“From a microbiological standpoint, our water quality standards are based on the European standards for public natural swimming pools, which are roughly twice as strict as what are required at many public bathing beaches,” Robyn said.

Webber’s plant-based filtering system is expected to cost less to operate than a traditional chemical pool, according to those involved in the project, although specific figures weren’t available. (The park board’s budget includes more than $414,000 in 2012 for aquatic recreation services, which includes management, staffing, and lessons for swimmers and sailors at Minneapolis lakes, pools, and water parks.) Due to the expected cost savings, Olson said the city would no longer charge visitors to use the Webber Pool when it reopens.

Transform your backyard into your own family resort with Blue World Pools. Visit this website to learn more about swimming pool design and construction.

REPOST: Victoria | Update: Outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis extends to regional Victoria

As gastroenteritis (cryptosporidiosis) outbreak in Melbourne rises four-fold, hygiene measures at pools and other facilities are strongly encouraged.

This article tells more about cryptosporidiosis including its transmission and symptoms.  


The Department is investigating a four-fold increase in Cryptosporidium notifications since January 2013.

Many cases are reporting exposure to swimming pools in their incubation periods, and other settings representing a risk for onwards transmission are households and childcare facilities.

Cryptosporidiosis is a parasitic disease that most commonly causes gastroenteritis. Since January 2013, there has been a substantial increase in Cryptosporidium notifications, While initially focussed on metropolitan Melbourne, an increase in notifications is now affecting regional Victoria.

The organism lasts for long periods in water and the environment and is not destroyed by regular chlorination.

In this outbreak there appears to be a role for transmission related to swimming pools and the key priority is the identification and prevention of further cases through hygiene measures at pools, childcare facilities and in household settings where there are cases. The Department is working with pool managers to ensure effective measures are in place to address the issue.

Whilst all people are susceptible to becoming infected, certain groups are more likely to become seriously ill including younger children, pregnant women and individuals with weakened immune systems.

The most common presentation is gastroenteritis, with symptoms including watery diarrhoea, cramping abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting and fever. Less commonly, Cryptosporidium infection can present as pneumonia, cholecystitis or pancreatitis.

After exposure it can take up to 12 days to develop symptoms, which then last between 4 to 21 days. Individuals are potentially infectious from the onset of symptoms until two weeks after becoming asymptomatic.

Transmission occurs by the faecal-oral route (person to person and animal to person), and via ingestion of contaminated water or foods.

> Blue World Pools is a supplier of above ground swimming pools which puts the health and safety of it customers at the core of its business. Visit this website for more information about managing health and safety in swimming pools.

Inground or aboveground: Which swimming pool is better?

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A swimming pool at home is great for large families, especially those with kids. Taking a dip in the pool is a fun way to beat the heat without going to a pricey resort.


The two most common types of home pools are inground and aboveground swimming pools. An inground pool rests its sides with the earth, and an aboveground pool is removable and easier to maintain than the former. An article on FOX News asserts that there are things to consider when choosing which type of pool will be used at home: practicality, cost, and appearance.




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Inground pools can be used for diving, unlike aboveground pools, which are too shallow. However, inground pools require a longer time for installation than aboveground pools because the process involves excavation, framing, and finishing. The installation process and the materials used–concrete, vinyl, and fiberglass–also make inground pools more costly to construct than aboveground pools. In some states, inground pools can also be taxed as part of home improvement.


Aboveground pools are perfect for small yards because they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can also be effortlessly installed with a little help from the installation manual. And because they are removable, they can be dismantled when desired.




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When it comes to presentation, inground pools look more presentable than aboveground because they do not protrude on the yard. Inground pools can also add value to the home. However, they require landscaping and renovation. Meanwhile, aboveground pools can still be finished with a variety of liners for a customized look. Blue World Pools suggests that the design should complement the architectural style of the home.


Inground and aboveground pools both have their advantages and setbacks. In order to pick the best one, homeowners must decide based on their personal needs and preferences.

To request a free swimming pool site inspection and consultation, visit this website.

Beyond big and beyond deep: The world's largest swimming pools

Human history is marked by many attempts to create the biggest in anything—yes, even the biggest swimming pool. While records in size are regularly broken as people try to outdo one another, it is worth plotting how far everyone has gone. Below is a list of the deepest, the largest, and the longest swimming pools in the world.

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The San Alfonso del Mar


The San Alfonso del Mar resort, located in Chile, houses the largest outdoor swimming pool, with a total area of 8 hectares. Its length of 1 kilometer makes it the longest, while its maximum depth of 35 meters makes it the deepest of its kind. It was built facing the Pacific Ocean, from which the pool gets the 66 million gallons of seawater it needs. It is so big that people can ride kayaks and other small boats on its waters. It also features a sandy shore that makes it akin to the sea.

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Nemo 33

Located in Brussels, Belgium, this is the deepest indoor swimming pool today. With a maximum depth of 34.5 meters, it holds over 2.8 million liters of water. It has a number of simulated water caves at a depth of 10 meters, and was created to serve as a facility for diving training, recreation, and film production.  


Marina Bay Sands Resort

This resort complex is composed of three buildings connected by a sky terrace that holds the world’s highest elevated swimming pool, located 191 meters above the ground. Its renowned infinity pool also tops the list as the longest elevated swimming pool in the world.

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Blue World Pools makes above-ground pools suitable for residential areas. Customers may choose from several kinds of pools at its website.

Taking "above-ground" to a new level: The Marina Bay Sands Singapore

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Standing at more than 200 meters, the Marina Bay Sands houses over 2,000 hotel rooms, a casino, and restaurants, among others. It faces the Marina Bay—hence the name—and is composed of three skyscrapers built side by side. It could have been any other hotel complex, if not for its most defining feature. Perched atop its three buildings is an infinity pool that gives new meaning to “above-ground pool.”


The Marina Bay Sands was designed by Safdie Architects, and was developed by Las Vegas Sands. It is considered to be the most expensive standalone casino property in the world, with the price reaching over $8 billion.

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Inspired by a house of cards, the Marina Bay Sands is truly a sight to behold. Its famous sky terrace, the Sands SkyPark, measures 1 hectare, and bridges the three buildings together. It is home to several restaurants and holds the longest elevated swimming pool. This infinity pool is around 191 meters off the ground, and can hold 376,500 gallons of water. It offers swimmers a view of the CBD skyline, the City Hall, the Esplanade, and the Singapore Flyer.


While the concept of an elevated swimming pool is in no way new, the scale and the dimensions of the Sands Skypark’s infinity pool make it a true milestone in architecture and swimming pool design. No doubt, this will usher the coming of even more innovative designs in the future.

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Blue World Pools offers above-ground pools perfect for residential spaces. You can view the products it offers at its official website.