Pools for the Smaller Block

The last decade or so, has seen major changes to land development and housing design in the newer outer suburbs of the ACT. During this time blocks of land have got smaller and new dwellings have become larger. In the 1980's, the average new house featured 3 bedrooms and was built on a quarter acre, or 10,000 sq mtr block of land. Today however, the trend is towards a 4 bedroom house, with a rumpus room and a semi outdoor living area or verandah, on a 600 sq mtr block.

These changes have had a marked effect on the design and use of domestic swimming pools. The traditional 9mtr x 4.5mtr with its 1 metre of paved surrounds in the middle of the lawn, is rapidly being replaced by the smaller, warmer, indoor or semi-enclosed aquatic recreational feature.

Typical of the new design is the smaller, fully or partially enclosed pool. This is usually no more than 6mtrs x 3mtrs. It can be equipped with adjustable swim jets, which provide a constant current of water against which bathers can swim. These jets adopt the same principle as a walking machine and mean that people can swim any distance they choose, without actually moving from the one spot.

An alternative to this is a formal lap pool in which bathers can swim measured distances and practice such techniques as tumble turns.

The advantages of this type of pool are that it is easier to maintain and more economical to heat to a comfortable swimming temperature. The modern lap pool contains from 12,000 - 20,000 litres of water compared to 55,000 litres of the average pool of the 1980's. This drop in volume makes heating a much more economical proposition. This can be achieved by means of a gas heater, electric heat pump or a solar system. The most popular option is to equip the pool with a solar system with a gas or heat pump backup. This means that a comfortable 24oC can be selected and maintained with the solar system when there is sufficient natural energy available on sunny days and by the backup heater during cloudy periods, which of course are very rare in the ACT.

Such a pool can also be equipped with an automatic cleaner and a chemical dosing system, which will keep the pool water correctly, balanced with very low maintenance required.