The ASPNSP is a non-profit organization that seeks to be the industry resource for natural swimming pools and bathing waters in North America. We want to inform home owner’s associations, trade groups, public health entities, and other businesses about how natural swimming pools can work for their needs as well as the environmental benefits associated with them. 

It’s no surprise that chemical-free pools have been on the rise recently; green-focused and health-conscious individuals want more options that fit their lifestyle. BioNova® always mentions how natural swimming pools are a chemical-free alternative to traditional pools, but the ASPNSP intends to further educate the public about why this is important to humans’ most precious resource: water.

ASPNSP’s vision is simple. They see a future where natural swimming pools support environmental stewardship for the current and future generation of swimming pool owners. Whether you’re just learning about NSPs or are considering an NSP conversion, the ASPNSP wants to impress how important building a community is for our network. 

To build our network and become the leading industry resource for NSP information, we reference our mission: 

“Inform the public through scientific research, educational opportunities, and outreach. In doing so, we highlight the benefits of natural swimming pools by leading regulatory change in North America.”

-Association for Swimming Ponds and Natural Swimming Pools

Natural swimming has a more established presence outside of North America, however, which is why the ASPNSP is also part of a global community that aims to share the health benefits of natural swimming water. The International Organization for natural Bathing waters (IOB) is the worldwide umbrella organization for organic swimming pools with 23 represented countries, including the ASPNSP in North America. Its objectives are to promote and distribute natural bathing water projects with natural water purification. They accomplish these objectives with governmental administration consultation, leading to the formulation of policies that recognize the statutes and laws concerning bathing in natural bathing water. IOB supports member associations from various countries by exchanging experience on planning, construction, and operation of semi-natural bathing waters and publishing different kinds of information.

Like the IOB, the ASPNSP will work closely with local regulatory agencies to help shape guidelines and public knowledge regarding public natural swimming pools. We want to demonstrate NSPs as a nature-based solution to environmental challenges humans face. When you become a member of the ASPNSP, you join a global community of green thinkers and ecological advocates!

When faced with significant growth, organizations can easily get lost in the noise or lose sight of their goals. The ASPNSP’s continued success and focus are directly related to the strength of our values. 

Communication – Whether it is scientific data, regulatory updates, or newsletters addressed to the public, we recognize the need for transparency and accountability in sharing information among our members.

Education – Seminars, visual media, PSAs, and scientific literature will all play a crucial role in demonstrating the efficacy of biologically filtered water. Bathers should have complete information in their swimming experience with NSPs.

Collaboration – Promoting shared knowledge and interaction among members and working with other entities is essential to our goal in demonstrating NSPs as a healthful, recreational environment throughout North America.

Sustainability – Our nature-based solutions provide an alternative to traditional chemical methods for water treatment. We believe in being good stewards of our natural resources, so nature will continue to provide us with an abundance of health and enjoyment.

Of course, words without action are meaningless. ASPNSP partner, BioNova®, spear-headed the Webber Park Swimming Pool project in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The ASPNSP wants to encourage and facilitate more civic spaces like this that use nature-based solutions for biologically purified water instead of traditional chemical methods. The pool has received positive reviews and Instagram media shares from its visitors since its construction finished in 2015.

ASPNSP wants to include natural swimming pools in any conversation about communal spaces that bring people together. After all, public swimming pools have a long history around the world. The baths of ancient Rome, the serene lakes of Austria, and established English gardens all brought citizens together to a beautiful and healthful shared experience in the water.

Following our value of collaboration, the ASPNSP has also started working with the CDC to fulfill our vision. The ASPNSP recognizes the need to adapt regulatory guidelines to suit the design, permitting, and construction of NSPs. ASPNSP members will form an ad-hoc committee for change proposals to the CDC’s voluntary guidance document, the Model Aquatic Health Code.

Additionally, we’ve started drafting educational programming for K-12 and undergraduate speaking engagements (limnology lesson plans, science activities, and experiments to get young minds interested in water health). In the future, we’d like to add a student job board to our website to help grow the innovation of natural swimming pools with engineering, water, and biology-based postings.

Now that we’ve told you a bit about ASPNSP and its goals, here is a bit more about our membership tiers to help find the right fit for you, your business, or any other group.

Professional Member – A person actively involved in the NSP industry as a designer, builder, maintenance professional, or consultant. This is the only membership that carries full voting rights in the organization when making decisions in the ASPNSP.

Associate Member – A person or organization with interest in NSPs such as a landscape architect, homeowner, health department, educator, or advocacy organization.

Student Member – Full-time or part-time students must provide proof of active academic status for membership.

Sponsorships – Includes commercial entity, product manufacturer, distributor, service provider, or trade group. This membership will allow the ASPNSP non-profit banner to be featured on a commercial member’s website.

Here are four quick ways for you to make an immediate impact in the ASPNSP non-profit organization:

1. Make a tax-deductible donation: With your donation, we can fund the projects and partnerships that educate, inspire, and bring people together in a stunning environment outside.
2. Join our community: We build a network of pool business leaders, designers, and volunteers who want to help make the air and land a bit greener. Membership with ASPNSP comes with great benefits, like attendance at the IOB Conference in Portugal later this year.
3. Buy a shirt or hoodie – We’ve got comfortable t-shirts and hoodies with a simple message to spread everywhere: “Swim Natural.” Be cool at the pool and help ASPNSP’s mission with a purchase!
4. Read up and spread the word: We’re available to answer your questions. As you learn more, tell more people about the work we’re doing. Word of mouth helps us make a splash!

ASPNSP spring memberships are open, and we want you to join us in making a difference in communal spaces, classrooms, and outdoor living. Here are the key takeaways from this blog below: 

• Join a growing network of design professionals, contractors, and homeowners in the United States

• Become part of an international group that champions nature-based solutions as alternatives to chemical pools

• Gain access to international conferences

• Lead and contribute to natural swimming pool public awareness

The post Joining the ASPNSP this Spring Season appeared first on BioNova®.

“The Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) is a voluntary guidance document based on science and best practices that can help local and state authorities and the aquatics sector make swimming and other water activities healthier and safer. States and localities can use the MAHC to create or update existing pool codes to reduce risk for outbreaks, drowning, and pool-chemical injuries. The MAHC guidelines are all-inclusive and address the design, construction, operation, maintenance, policies, and management cutting edge needs of today’s public aquatic facilities.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Additional Guidance for Public Natural Swimming Pools

Its important to understand the incredible capacity for change that this document can offer in BioNova® leading America’s change to sustainable swimming pools. While the MAHC provides resources for building traditional, chemically treated pools in the aquatic sector, there are no practices outlined for public natural swimming pools. This knowledge gap is where the Association for Swimming Ponds and Natural Swimming Pools (ASPNSP) comes in. This nonprofit is an industry resource for education, homeowners’ exchange of ideas, and the education and certification of designers and builders. The ASPNSP fosters regulatory compliance in designing, permitting, and constructing NSPs and provides a conduit for public communication and advocacy.

With so much cross-communication between organizations, it can be difficult to retrofit the language of the current MAHC to specifically include public natural swimming pools. BioNova® North America’s Allen Schnaak has led a change request process on behalf of the ASPNSP. This request is for an updated section of the MAHC to bring naturally purified bathing water into the conversation about public aquatic health. As it stands, the operating procedure states that “Public NSP permitting in the US can gain local approval through engagement with the local governing authorities, by presenting design and efficacy data that supports health department criteria and objectives.”

Some countries are slower to embrace what the rest of the world has been doing for decades regarding public natural bathing water. The International Organization for natural Bathing water (IOB) has global partners (including the ASPNSP) that work closely with local municipalities to build public natural swimming pools. Public pool builds have had tremendous growth in Western and Eastern European countries and with international collaborators sharing resources, the trend will continue to spread!

Taking Action for Healthy, Sustainable Swimming

So what do all these guidelines and group acronyms mean for swimmers like you? The inclusion of natural bathing water guidelines is a significant step toward nature-based solutions to the environmental challenges our society faces. These code modifications aim to recognize and include procedures for the design, operation, and maintenance of public natural swimming pools which offer benefits to swimmers and mother nature:

-Contributes to swimmers’ wellbeing by providing a much healthier form of swimming than conventional solutions for chemically purified swimming water.

-Reduces energy consumption per bather or square meter compared to traditional solutions of fixed or variable speed electric pumps.

This blog will expand on these benefits more in the future, but for now, there is action you can take as a homeowner, industry professional, student, or commercial entity. One of the biggest challenges the ASPNSP faces is shaping public perception with current data on biologically filtered water for swimming. Most swimmers have grown up with traditional, chemically treated pools. However, changing minds will be based on the interactions you have with your local municipalities. This influence and knowledge can trickle down to public awareness, and community leaders can use these resources to demonstrate bather health with confidence. If you want to be a part of this growing movement of NSPs:

1. Join over a dozen current ASPNSP members in spreading NSP awareness
2. Spread your dedication and commitment to NSPs as a socially and environmentally responsible choice. Start by reading our Definitive Guide to NSPs or share BioNova®’s posts on social media!
3. Read more about NSPs and the growing importance of environmental sustainability and green building practices in the pool and landscape industry.

The shift to sustainable swimming pools will be a long journey, but one with a worthy destination. Collecting and sharing the knowledge to highlight beautiful, ecologically enriching waterscapes is part of BioNova®’s mission. Join us today in making a splash the world over!

The post Guidance for Public Natural Swimming Pools appeared first on BioNova®.