Photo Credit: Courtesy of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department
In 2009, a proposal crossed my desk that couldn’t be passed up. With cost savings, a reduction of the environmental impact and an innovative transformation in the way the city of Saint Paul, Minn., managed its pool’s filtration system, the proposal for implementing an industry-transforming moss-conditioning technology was a no-brainer.
The Pitch
Creative Water Solutions, a Minnesota-based company led by Dr. David Knighton, approached parks and recreation department officials with a new way for municipal pools to manage chemical usage and water filtration. The pitch was unique, but straightforward: install a system comprised of Sphagnum Moss species to naturally condition the pool water, thus reducing the need for expensive and non-environmentally friendly chemicals.
The system had been used at residential pools and spas across the country for several years, but was never tested by the high bather-load and turnover rates that municipal pools deal with on a daily basis. Internally, the possible drawbacks of piloting the technology were discussed, including the fact that the moss system doesn’t completely eliminate chemical usage. However, if the system failed, pools could remain open by returning chemical levels to previous normal ranges. As far as officials could determine, there were no other major drawbacks.
