Along with vast, verdant green lawns, the sight of spacious swimming pools may shift from being just another fixture of the California landscape to being a sign owners are overusing a restricted resource. According to Bloomberg Business, the growing number of eco-pools—plant-filtered, low-impact, green-tinted swimming holes—may be accelerating in reaction to the West's historical dry spell. First popularized in Europe, which has less cultural animosity towards swimming in springs and lakes, these natural designs have a similar upfront cost to the concrete shells favored in the United States, and often require a slightly larger footprint to accommodate plant-based filtration, but owners save money over time by cutting out the cost of chemicals. Unheated natural pools also suffer less evaporation, another means to save money. Think Americans are too wedded to their cement ponds? Companies such as Clear Water Revival are working on hybrid models that don't require owners to take the plunge and purchase a plant-filled pool.
∙ Forget Backyard Pools, Build a Swimming Pond Instead [Bloomberg Business]
∙ Take a Dip in Roosevelt Island's Wild Rainbow-Painted Pool [Curbed New York]
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