Photo Credit: Aquatic Development Group
An essential factor in the safe operation of any pool is clean, crystal-clear water. This becomes increasingly important when one begins to consider wave-pool design and operation. With the inherent difficulties associated with surface turbulence and bather density, the clarity and purity of pool water become critical to the effectiveness of lifeguard observation and bather-disease control.
All the lifeguards in the world can be stationed around a pool, but if the turbidity of the water limits the ability to see below the surface, there is the potential for tragedy. The problem of maintaining water quality in a wave pool is compounded in almost every aspect of its design. The large water surface, large shallow area, and heavy bather loads contribute to a significantly higher level of airborne- and bather-carried contaminants than would be found in a conventional pool.
The Suntan Lotion Syndrome
The latter source of contamination becomes especially significant when one considers the number of patrons in a typical recreational wave pool over the course of a day. With an average guest stay of five to six hours, and the large expanse of lounge area adjacent to the pool, creating a “suntan lotion filtration syndrome,” any issues one might encounter in a commercial swimming pool are compounded when a move is made outside to the larger wave pools.