An option is to change your pool to a pond and, in doing so, cut down the energy and pollution it causes due to the pump running 24/7 and the use of cleaning agents such as chlorine.

How:  

Put some plants in, change to a low power, low energy pump, or simply turn yours off.

Why:  

The water is easier to maintain, the yukky chlorine smell is gone, the plants do the cleaning for you, and if you do it well it becomes an eye-catching thing of beauty that supports birds, insects, flowers and does not send backwashed polluted water down the sewer.

Cost:  

Hmm; tough one; varies with size and design:  should be cheaper in the long run as the plants will do the cleaning and your running costs will reduce – sorry, on this one I can’t give a figure but a guestimate of a couple of thousand dollars should see you home and wet.

Details:

The water is safe for swimming, cleaned by the plants and slowly moving water. This and other data and ideas is on a council website which is leading the way here with a policy called “From pools to ponds“, Kurringai Council.  Their site says:

“ Why not join the more than fifty other Pool to Pond converts and go with an eco-friendly, cost-effective alternative that promotes biodiversity?

We have been assisting local residents to convert their unwanted swimming pools into ponds since 2007 by supplying native fish, aquatic plants and technical advice for the conversion.  ”

And search on the web with “natural pools” where there are useful images.

And here’s a pdf with some design ideas: Natural pools-1

Glug, glug, glug . . . dive in you lot,

M