Webber Natural Swimming Pool

I have developed a fear for natural water bodies like lakes and rivers after my teen years, thanks to the horde of horror flicks like Lake Placid, Piranha and even Creepshow 2 (second story ‘The Raft’), that flooded the B-grade movies catalog. I know, it is probably an irrational fear, but hey, I don’t live in the U.S. which makes the whole monster-in-the-lake tale even more ‘plausible’, right? But now, I know if I did live in Minneapolis, I will have the opportunity to swim in natural waters without that fear – thanks to the Webber Park Natural Swimming Pool.

Webber Natural Swimming Pool

Of course, Webber pool isn’t the first natural pool in North America, but it is the first that isn’t fed from a creek or spring and it is in fact, the first natural swimming pool that’s open to the public. If you think man-made natural pool is not a big deal, think again. The U.S., like many places all over the world, has strict state-mandated regulations regarding the use of chemicals for bacteria, which makes developing such facility a daunting task just on the legal aspect alone. And now that Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board has taken the lead, there will be more hopes for folks who are allergic to chemicals such as chlorine, to be able to take the dip without heading to beaches or lakes.

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Webber Natural Swimming Pool

So, how does a natural pool upkeeps its hygiene to make it fit for human usage? Well, it uses filters and plants to cleanse the water, just like how nature does in the wild. The pool water passes through a series of biological filters before being received by a regeneration basin near the pool. This regeneration basic, which contains around 7,000 aquatic plants rooted in layers of limestone and granite gravel, helps to clean the water and provides a habitat for frogs, turtles and other wildlife. Once the water is cleanse, the fresh water is directed back into the pool.

Webber Natural Swimming Pool
An overview of the filtration process

In addition to running the process every 12 hours, the pools are vacuumed daily to keep the pool surface clean. By going all-natural, natural swimming pool not only eliminates the risk of pool chemical-related incidents, it will also help small wildlife to flourish, and hopefully, aid in creating awareness about our environment. Interested? Then we suggest that you hit up Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board’s website for more information.

Webber Natural Swimming Pool
The layout of the facility has a natural form to mimic the natural environment
Webber Natural Swimming Pool
The construction process of the “regeneration basin.” Note the green lining.
Webber Natural Swimming Pool
The completed “regeneration basin” looks part of the nature’s landscape

A huge thanks to Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board for sending us these beautiful images.

Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board via Upworthy