December 17, 2017 (Paris)
Set of regulations for France
In cooperation with the colleagues of the French Swimming Pond Organisation has been published a set of regulations for the construction and operation of swimming ponds in France, which includes both private and public swimming ponds.
November 16, 2017 (Leeuwarden, Netherlands)
New board of IOB
The general assembly of the IOB has elected a new board according to its schedule: Stefan Meier (Spain) is the new IOB chairman. His deputies are Michael Messner (Germany) and James Robyn (USA). Treasurer is Jan Sarosiek (Poland), secretary Dirk Esser (France).
By standing ovations the representatives of the eleven member associations present thanked the retired members of the board Guido Manzke (Germany), Paul Luther (Italy) and Udo Schwarzer (Portugal) and the departing IOB managing director Stefan Bruns (Germany) for their eight-year work in the board.
November 16, 2017 (Leeuwarden, Netherlands)
IOB Pondy Awards 2017
The participants of the 9th International Swimming Pond Congress have elected the winners of the IOB Pondy Award 2017. more
October 5, 2017 (Stuttgart, Germany)
The nominees of IOB Pondy Award 2017
The jury has spoken. Here are the nominees of IOB PONDY Award 2017:
Natural pools privat use: Bio Piscinas (P), Ginkel Groep (NL), Fuchs baut Gärten (D)
Swimming ponds privat use: Stefan Meier (E), Fa. John GmbH (D), Lily Pond (NL)
Swimming ponds tourist use: Bio Piscinas (P), Stefan Meier (E), Wasserwerkstatt Bamberg (D), Fuchs baut Gärten (D)
The jury has choosen 4 projects in the category of tourist used swimming ponds.
The nominees will present their projects at the International Swimming Pond Congress at Leeuwarden. The congress participants will vote to elect the winners per category.
July 4, 2017 (Stuttgart)
Participants 2017 PONDY AWARD
Joachim Scheible, Jury President of the PONDY AWARD 2017, reports that the second issue of the Swimming Pond Prize has candidates from six (Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal) countries with a total of 18 projects. Awards can be given in the categories private swimming pond, private natural swimming pool and swimming pool of tourist use.
June 1, 2017 (Bremen, Germany)
Deadline extended!
In order to give more participants the opportunity, the IOB has extended the submission to the POND AWARD until 30 June 2017. A jury will select the nominees and the winners will be selected by the swimming pool congress in Leeuwarden, Netherlands this November.
May 23, 2017 (Bremen, Germany)
Natur:Pur reports the International Swimming Pond Congress
The media partner of the International Swimming Pond Congress in Leeuwarden, the German magazine Natur:Pur, reports on the congress and venue.
February 6, 2017 (Bremen, Germany)
Pondy – the international swimming pond Award
As the umbrella organization for global swimming pond experts, the International Organization for natural bathing water (IOB) has launched Pondy. For the first time the price will be awarded at the 9th International swimming pond Congress, October 2017 in Leuuwarden, the Netherlands. Note extended deadline: 30.6.2017!
January 17, 2017 (Czech Republic)
New board of directors in the Czech Association
On 17 January, the General Assembly of the Czech Association took place, with a new Board of Directors being elected for the next three years.
Martin Panchartek, remains the chairman. Vice president is Jiri Hajek. Other newly elected members of the Executive Board are Jan Kroupa and Michael Vránek. Jakub Urbanec was elected as new member of the Executive Board.
December 23, 2016 (Bremen, Germany)
Program of the 9th International Swimming Pond Congress
Take a first glance on the program. Still provisional, so you may have suggestions.
December 5, 2016 (Bremen, Germany)
Extraordinary member for Chile
Cristobal Elgueta Marinovic has planned and built 30 swimming ponds in Chile. Now he is an extraordinary member of IOB for his country. This is what the IOB Board decided today at its board meeting.
September 22, 2016 (Bremen, Germany)
New member from US
ASPNSP is the name of the new member association in the IOB, which was accepted by IOB Board on 09.24.2016. This means the United States are included with their swimming pond association in the Federation of swimming pond associations. more
August 30, 2016 (Chester, New Jersey, USA)
News from USA
James Robyn, extraordinary IOB member for the United States, soon will have to give up his position because he and colleagues have founded the US swimming pond Association ASPNSP which will now apply for IOB membership.
August 30, 2016 (Bremen, Germany)
IOB present at facebook
Visit our IOB-page at facebook. Link in Footer.
August 25, 2016 (Bremen, Germany)
New IOB board member
Jan Sarosiek from the Polish Association for natural bathing watesr is the new Vice President of IOB. After the retirement of long-time board member Peter Petrich IOB Board has been elected by the IOB board for the period until the next General Assembly on 9 November 2017 in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
May 10, 2016 (Bremen, Germany)
IOB brochure
The work of the IOB is subject of an online brochure which has just been published. view
April 22, 2016 (Bremen, Germany)
June – Month of the swimming pond
As well in 2016, June is the »month of the swimming pond«. Many companies of IOB member’s associations in Europe present information sessions during this month. From the open day of the swimming pond up to a test dip in a swimming pond a lot of activities are provided to meet the great interest in Europe related to swimming in natural treated water.
March 1, 2016 (Bremen, Germany)
Belgian Association with a new name
The Belgian federation for swimming ponds is now called »Groen Groeien Zwemvijverbouwers« and is a platform within the Flemish horticultural association »Groen Groeien«. Further information here: www.groengroeien.be/nl/zwemvijvers
October 30, 2015 (Cologne, Germany)
Swimming pond congress in Holland
In autumn of 2017 the 9th edition of the Swimming Pond Congress will be held in Holland. This was announced at the end of this year’s Swimming Pond Congress in Germany.
October 29, 2015 (Cologne, Germany)
New Board member
Stefan Meier, landscape architect and swimming pond planner from Spain, is the new Vice President of the IOB. His election was unanimous on the Annual General Meeting of IOB in Cologne.
October 28, 2015 (Cologne, Germany)
Outstanding natural pool
The natural pool Riehen in Switzerland won the gold medal at the prestigious IOC/IAKS competition. The jury stated in its laudatio that “the water of this pool is treated in a completely natural, biological way. The natural environment is characterized by aquatic plants. The swimming pool is surrounded by a wooden wall. The most modern technology and a special water treatment system are of the highest quality and provide clean water. The heat recovery system covers part of the requirements of installation. The jury honors this pool with a gold medal, not only for its design but also because of a strong commitment to nature and the environment”.
October 28, 2015 (Cologne, Germany)
Winners of PONDY Award
Here they are, the winners of the first edition of the IOB PONDY Award. The winners in the four categories are the companies Kolhöfer & Klotz from Germany in the category »private natural pools« Trendvijvers from the Netherlands in the category »private swimming ponds«, Bio Piscinas from Portugal in the category »tourist used swimming ponds« and Polyplan from Germany in the category »public pools with biological water treatment«.
The winners were selected by two juries, staffed by professional planners and journalists, out of 26 participants from 14 nations and announced solemnly on the occasion of the 8th International swimming pond congress in Cologne.
September 22, 2015 (Bremen, Germany)
New members from South America
Paula Tarditi (Argentina) and Diego Contreras (Costa Rica) are two new Associate Members from countries of South America, who were accepted by the IOB Board at its meeting yesterday.
July 24, 2015 (Minneapolis, USA)
First public swimming pond in the USA
Congratulations to James Robyn, extraordinary IOB member in the USA! He and his team have planned and built the first public swimming pond in the United States.
The plant is designed for 500 bathers a day. On July 24, were the first dip in the Webber Park Natural Pool in Minneapolis. Entrance is free.
July 10, 2015 (Munich, Germany)
Swimming pond Congress, book now!
Now booking is possible! Get your ticket for three days swimming pond Congress in Cologne, including entrance ticket to aquanale fair, end of October in Cologne.
July 1, 2015 (Bremen, Germany)
Swimming ponds on the rise in South America
In Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico and Chile swimming ponds are existing since some years, in Argentina, Costa Rica and Colombia projects are in preparation or under construction, reports Luís Pereira, extraordinary IOB member in Brazil.
June 16, 2015 (Bremen, Germany)
LCA pool vs. natural swimming pool
On behalf of the IOB, the renowned Heidelberg IFEU Institute for Energy and Environmental Research created a »Eco-balance evaluation of natural pools in comparison with a conventional swimming pool for private use.« A preliminary interim report has been recently presented to IOB.
The aim of this comparative LCA assessment of natural pools and conventional swimming pools is to identify the environmental advantages and disadvantages of both, construction and operations, on the basis of a typical case for private use.
The first results are very encouraging and clearly demonstrate the advantages of one system over the other.
The results of the study will be available in the fall and its author, Horst Fehrenbach, will present them at the 8th International swimming pond Congress in Cologne. Not only this lecture is worth participating in Cologne!
May 10, 2015 (Bremen, Germany)
PONDY Award – Nominees
The nominations for the 2015 Pondy Award have been announced. The winner of each category will be announced at the international swimming pond Congress in Cologne this autumn. The nominees in the category private swimming ponds are:
Wrede, Germany
Trendvijvers, Netherlands
Gasiorowski, Germany
In the category of private natural pools are nominated the following projects:
Kolhöfer, Germany
Erni, Switzerland
Van Ginkel, Netherlands
The jury headed by Peter Petrich (non-voting) consisted of the planners Univ. Prof. Lilli Licka and Dipl.-Ing. Anja Werner and the journalists Friedemann Hennings and Joachim Scheible.
A second jury, headed by Stefan Bruns (non-voting) had the following participants: Michael Weilandt, Professor Mahabadi, Dr. Arno Cordes and Jack Fluch.
In the category tourist use swimming ponds was nominated:
Bio Piscinas, Portugal
In the category of public pools with biological water purification have been nominated:
Manzke, Germany
Bio-Water Gardens, Slovakia
Polyplan, Germany
April 14, 2015 (Bremen, Germany)
Swimming Pool and Spa Conference
The 6th International Conference on swimming pools and spa was held from March 17 to 20 at the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam. The associations ABS, FLL and the Federation of public baths of Germany informed together in the newly created workspace for pools with natural water treatment.
April 2, 2015 (Bremen, Germany)
A swimming pond for London
The construction of a public bath with biological water treatment for London makes progress.
In some weeks at Kings Cross, in the midst of London, Britain’s first public natural swimming pool will arise.
November 15, 2014 (Faro, Portugal)
INSMED recommends swimming ponds
For the first time, a European funding program has recommended swimming pools :
INSMED is a regional program for southern Europe and aims to promote innovation in the eco-design in the countries around the Mediterranean. This program has now recommended the construction of swimming pools for the first time.
July 23, 2014 (Bremen)
Examples of international cooperation
New public natural swimming pond projects in Slovenia and Poland show the excellent international cooperation in the industry.
On August 1, the public swimming pond of the community of Świętochłowicach near Katowice will be opened in Poland. The project was developed in cooperation with a German company.
International was also the team of the first public natural swimming pond in Slowenia. Here the planners came from Austria.
May 27, 2014 (Basel, Switzerland)
New Public natural swimming pond in Switzerland
On June 14, 2014 opens another public natural swimming pond in Switzerland. On the edge of the city of Basel the little village Riehen gets a pool with biological water treatment for 2,000 bathers.
There is a generous toddlers wading pool with water features, a non swimmer pool with beach area and water slide, and a 25-meter swimming pool and a separate diving pool. In addition, the new public natural swimming pond is offering a café with indoor and outdoor tables.
April 7, 2014 (Brno, Czech Republic)
Guidelines in Czech Republic
The Czech Association has released a set of rules for the design, construction and operation of swimming ponds and natural pools.
The framework is mainly based on the guidelines released in Germany and in Austria.
PDF of the guidelines in Czech Republic
March 14, 2014 (Bergamo, Italy)
Logo for holiday with swimming pond
The Italian swimming pond association AIABN has launched the brand “ospitalita naturale” (about: Hospitality course). It is an initiative to promote the construction of swimming ponds in hotels, inns and guesthouses.
Holiday accommodation with swimming ponds can lead this brand logo from now on. At the homepage of the Italian Association an interactive map was created showing the participating lodging facilities and provides to the respective holiday facility website.
January 29, 2014 (Paris, France)
Dirk Esser back as Chairman in France
Following Raphael Colson, the previous Vice-Präsdent has assumed the Presidency of the French swimming pond Association AFBB.
October 23, 2013 (Bregenz, Austria)
New board of IOB
A new IOB board was elected on the edge of the 7th International Swimming Pond Congress. The delegates from 12 member organizations unanimously confirmed Udo Schwarzer as chairman. His two deputies are now Anne Laurent-Schmelzle and Peter Petrich. The previous treasurer and secretary, Guido Manzke and Paul Luther, were also confirmed for another four years in office.
Following an invitation of the German Association the IOB members meeting elected the city of Cologne as the venue for the 8th International Swimming Pond Congress in 2015.
October 22, 2013 (Bonn, Germany)
FLL directive now also in English
The “Guidelines for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of swimming pools with biological water treatment (swimming ponds)” from 2011 is now available in English.
In cooperation with the German Society for natural bathing waters and Landscaping Landscape Development Research Society (FLL)IOB has made not only translation of the text version but also translated the computer program for calculating the plants into English. Individual members of the IOB’s member associations get both at a discount of 30% at FLLs homepage:
October 18, 2013 (Bremen)
Brochure: Performance of Public Swimming Ponds
The first overview of hygiene in public pools with biological water purification edited by IOB.
Based on information of DANA database and other non published investigations, IOB has compiled the most actual knowledge about the performance of public swimming ponds.
Edition Autumn 2013, 48 pages, prize 30 Euro plus shipping costs (5 Ex. 100 Euro plus shipping costs).
To order, please, send an email to info@iob-ev.com
October 14, 2013 (Bremen)
Our youngest member: Slovenia
As member number 14 the IOB Board accepted the Association swimming pond association of Slovenia (Slovenije združenje naravnih kolpalnih voda – ZNKVS). The association applied for a membership immediately after its establishment in October. First Chairman is Tadej Volcansek whose associate membership expired in accordance with the statutes IOB.
September 24, 2013 (Bremen)
Netherlands full member now
For several years, the Netherlands was already represented with an extraordinary member at the IOB. With the establishment of the Platform foor Zwemwijverbouwers has now been established a group within the National Horticultural Association. The IOB Board has added this group as 13th full member at its today’s meeting.
September 4, 2013 (Bremen)
Member from Slovenia
Tadej Volčanšek is IOB’s associate member for Slovenia. IOB Board has included the owner of a swimming pool company by unanimous vote.
June 27, 2013 (Orduña, Spain)
Bath with biological water treatment in Spain
For the first time a public administration in Spain has announced a swimming pond project.
Belonging to the Basque province of Biscay, Orduña in northern Spain has announced, as the first town in country, an ideas competition for a public bath with biological water treatment.
Who won this contest, is expected to be announced during the month of July.
March 14, 2013 (Capetown, Southafrica)
A swimming pond in Africa
As this example shows, the swimming ponds are on the rise also in Africa.
The facility was designed by IOB member Jerome Davis. The »passer« is a bushbuck, the most common sub-Saharan antelope.
March 1, 2013 (Berlin/Paris)
New chair in France and Germany
On their general assembly, these day, the French and German swimming pond Association (DGfnB and AFBB) have elected with Wendelin Jehle and Raphael Colson new chairmen.
January 25, 2013 (Bremen, Germany)
Polish Association joined IOB
»Polskie Stowarzyszenie Naturalnych WOD Kąpielowych” – that is, Polish Association for natural bathing waters. PSNWK was accepted as As full member number 12 by decision of the IOB board at today’s meeting.
In Poland there are about 75 to 100 private swimming ponds and a few at hotels. The Polish Association starts with 10 members.
November 23, 2012 (Bremen)
IOB-member in the U.S.
Mr. James Robyn is the Associate Members of IOB in the United States. Today, the Board has taken this decision at its regular meeting. Robyn is an experienced swimming pond planner and, like all extraordinary members of the IOB, trying to build a national organization in his country.
October 18, 2012 (Kloten, Switzerland)
Professional recommendations in Switzerland published
The Swiss IOB member SVBP and Jardin Suisse have released a technical recommendation for design, execution and operation of public, artificial swimming facilities. This recommendation is to be used as the basis for quality assessments.
Since 1990, in Switzerland, hundreds of small ponds were created in private homes. In recent years this trend has now spread to the public sector. In Switzerland and in neighboring countries already some facilities have been planned for the public sector and also built.
Since the definition of the technical facilities and the biological functions are not regulated in terms of natural functionality, such technical recommendations have been created in other countries. With this work, Switzerland is closing this lack of statutory requirements.
In case of natural swimming facilities has to be taken into account that the interaction of the biological functions and the technical equipment must be matched exactly. As well the behavior of the user is to be regulated, as it can be considered of less personal responsibility in the public sector.
Until the end of 2012 you can get the professional recommendations at a special price of CHF 50 excl. shipping costs. After this date the prize of the professional recommendations is CHF 100. Order your copy now. Write to info@svbp.org
September 14, 2012 (Bremen)
Extraordinary Member in Slovakia
At today’s IOB board meeting, Mr. Martin Halahija, swimming pond designer in Slovakia, has been wellcomed as new extraordinary member. Like all extraordinary members, Martin Halahija will be involved with the construction of a national swimming pond organization in his country.
August 31, 2012 (Bregenz at Lake Constance, Austria)
International Swimming Pond Congress
The 7th International Swimming pond Congress 2013 with Exhibition is hosted by the Association of Austrian swimming pond builders under the patronage of IOB. It is all about quality and quality assurance for swimming pond construction.
Top speakers will provide current information on trends and developments, scientific findings and news.
On the second day practice and a scientific questions will be focussed.
The comprehensive program offers information for everyone – regardless of whether based internationally or regionally based.
The Congress will be supplemented by an exhibition with international exhibitors.
Tip: rallies are expected to be organized by the associations from Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Austria as a journey to Bregenz.
August 1, 2012 (Piacenza. Italy)
Swimming pond competition
For the first time, the category »biopiscine« (swimming ponds) is included in the traditional swimming pool competition of the magazine »oggi piscine«, reports the Italian swimming pond association AIABN.
The introduction of this category in the competition considers the magazine as a continuation of its cooperation with the Italian Association for natural bathing water (AIABN) and the International Organization for natural bathing water (IOB) and to support the natural swimming pools in general.
July 24, 2012 (Tinguá, Brasil)
First tourism swimming pond in Brazil
Now as well Brazil has its first semi-public swimming pond. In the ecological condominium Vale do Tinguá near Rio de Janeiro was built this facility just in time for Earth Summit “Rio 2012” in June of this year.
The project is a South African-Portuguese-Brazilian co-production and is considered one of the first systems of this size in tropical latitudes.
July 9, 2012 (Kriens, Switzerland)
New natural pool in Switzerland
At Kriens, near Lucerne, there is now a bath with a biological water treatment, anotherone built in Switzerland. As part of the renovation of the »Parkbad Kleinfeld«, a 1,000 square meter non-swimmers basin was built. Its water is treated biologically. For cleaning the water there is a plants filter.
The natural pool is max. 1.35 m deep and consists of a 25-meter wading basin, and numerous other attractions such as adventure bay, climbing rocks and spacious playgrounds and water slides. A footbridge over the water, paddling pool and nearby reed beds provide a “beach feeling” even without the lake. This natural pool has a large shallow water area with pebbles. The facility is accessible by wheelchair.
(Source: Neue Obwaldener Zeitung, CH)
June 24, 2012 (Piacenza, Italy)
Guidelines about public swimming ponds in South Tyrol
Since 12th July 2011 a directive for public natural bathing ponds exists in South Tyrol, Italy. This was announced at the edge of a public information session on natural pools in Italy.
In South Tyrol, Italy’s northernmost region, has seven public baths with biological water treatment. Last summer there were published rules as a decision of the provincial government, because there is currently no regulation for public swimming ponds in Italy.
Note: The text of the regulation, in German and Italian, is availabe in the online library of IOB-homepage.
June 10, 2012 (Paris)
One of the biggist swimming ponds of Europe
With 8.000 square meters of water the new swimming pond at Lac de Sapins is one of the biggest in Europe. The facility situated in the neighborhood of Lyon will open in July.
In the moment there are less than ten public ponds with biological water treatment in France. But a lot of facilities are under construction.
June 1, 2012 (Bremen)
Extraordinary member for Brazil
With the entry of Luís Pereira, extraordinary member for Brazil, IOB is now represented on all five continents. As all extraordinary members, Luís Pereira will try to organize a national swimming pond builder’s organization in his country.
April 1, 2012 (Feldkirchen/Austria)
International Swimming Pond Congress 2013
As announced by the Association of Austrian swimming pond builders VÖS, the International Swimming Pond Congress 2013 will take place from October 23rd to 25th in Bregenz at Lake Constance.
January 20, 2012 (Bremen, Germany)
Chlorine no longer required in Wallonia
According to a report in Belgian newspaper “De standard” of 14 January 2012, the environment ministers of the Belgian region of Wallonia has taken the decision, that chlorination of private and public pools is no longer be regarded as mandatory. A new law regulates the details. This step is justified by the risk of formation of chlorinated by-products.
December 22, 2011 (Edmonton, Canada)
First public swimming pond in Canada
The City of Edmonton in the Canadian province of Alberta will receive the first public swimming pond on the North American continent. This reports the online edition of the Edmonton Journal.
The 7.7 million project (Canadian Dollars) provides for the demolition of a swimming pool built in 1924 and the establishment of a bath with biological water treatment at its place.
Unusual for a public swimming pond is that the project is located in the central park of the Canadian city.
November 20, 2011 (Bremen, Germany)
IQN – Quality label for natural baths
After the Association of Austrian swimming pond builders had already implemented a quality management for the swimming ponds created by its members, in Germany is now available a seal of quality for public swimming ponds with biological water treatment.
The German association DGfnB has taken an important step for quality assurance in public natural swimming ponds in Germany and awards the label IQN (index for the quality of natural swimming ponds).
Baths, which are awarded the IQN seal have, as required by the regulations, aquatic ecology and hygienic data collected by a monitoring program. They also have taken other measures to ensure good water quality and good operation performing. All the results of a season are included in the evaluation for the label. Based on the assessment, the label in the form of a certificate is awarded.
With the IQN seal DGfnB is trying to achieve a uniformly high quality of the swimming ponds in Germany. Operators of public natural ponds will benefit in many ways from the label (safe operating, marketing).
November 12, 2011 (Bonn, Germany)
New FLL directive for public swimming pools with biological water treatment
The new FLL guidelines for planning, construction, maintenance and operation of swimming pools with biological treatment water (swimming ponds) are available now.
Since 2003, the various requirements are addressed in the recommendations for the design, construction, maintenance and operation of public swimming and bathing pool plants of the FLL.
In recent years, several research results presented a lot of experience with swimming and bathing pond plants that were built after the 2003 edition. This has prompted the FLL to revise the 2003 edition of the recommendations. Here, the content of the rules in the practical application has been reviewed, supplemented by new discoveries and developed new guidelines for the planning, construction, maintenance and operation of swimming pools with biological water treatment (swimming ponds).
Particularly noteworthy is the close cooperation with the German Society for the bath industry e.V. (DGfdB, rules of the donor in swimming pool construction), the German Society for natural bathing e.V. (DGfnB) and the German Swimming Association e.V. (DSV). Since so-called public swimming and bathing pond plants have evolved they turned out to be an integral part of the public swimming facilities in Germany. Due to normative and legal liability, the name swimming pools with biological water treatment has been fixed. By establishing principles and requirements for planning, construction, maintenance and operation of swimming ponds with biological water treatment, water quality is ensured, the intended operation and compliance with the requirements are defined. By creating juridical security and the cooperation between contractors, designers, suppliers, construction companies and operators turns easier.
Based on the requirements defined in 2003 the guideline committee has in particular revised the dimensions of the water treatment and the determination of the nominal number of visitors.
An important data base for this was the 2010 first completed DANA research project (founded by the DBU – German found for environment), a database system to optimize the reliability and energy efficiency of natural swimming pools. As part of this project data were collected and analyzed from 34 natural public pools over a period of 9 years.
The current basis of calculation and the corresponding formula are part of the rules. For the user, was developed a PC help tool (dimensioning program). The FLL provides the rules and regulations both as a booklet, as well as download-version. Furthermore, one can choose whether to acquire the rules of calculation program as a PC version (for 169 €) or no calculation program (for 33 €). Orders can be sent via the online shop of the FLL website, by e-mail or fax to the FLL office.
The FLL guidelines will be soon available in English as well.
Tanja Büttner, FLL
September 29, 2011 (Budweis, Czech Republic)
New direction of the Iberian Group
The General Assembly of the Iberian Group just voted for a new direction. Carles Perez is the new President of this association of swimming pond builders from Portugal and Spain. Udo Schwarzer gets the charge of the secretary. As Vice President, tesoueiro and vocal continue Peter Enge, Ignacio Pujol-Xicoy and Claudia Schwarzer.
September 27, 2011 (Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic)
Change within IOB board
At the edge of IOB General Assembly was announced that from now on Ralf Schmiel from the Australian Natural SPA association replaces Heinz Meier from the Suisse swimming pond association.
The change in the position of one of two Vice-Presidents was planned a long time, since Heinz Meier wants to focus entirely on his role as chairman of the Swiss Federation. The IOB chairman Udo Schwarzer thanked Heinz Meier for his valuable work.
At the edge of the International Swimming Pond Congress, IOB General Assembly decided to change the statutes as extending the term of the board of its three to four years now and voted for an increase in membership dues.
IOB General Assembly thanked the Austrian Association for inviting for the 7th International Swimming Pond Congress 2013 to Austria.
September 16, 2011 (Bremen)
New member from Belgium
Counting the existing installations, Belgium is a country with a tradition in constructing swimming ponds, The recently founded “Belgische Vereniging voor Biologische Zwemvijvers” was accepted by the board as the eleventh member of the IOB.
September 16, 2011 (Bremen)
Swimming pond Association of Australia
As the tenth member IOB board has received the Australian Association for swimming ponds «Natural* NSP» at its meeting today. Six companies on the fifth continent have recently formed this new organisation, making it the fourth organization that joins IOB in its two years of existence.
September 11, 2011 (Bremen)
Training course for swimming pond builders
The German Society for natural bathing waters (DGfnB) is the initiator and carrier of this training. It aims to train professional personnel practical skills and excellent practical know-how. The reduced price is offered to all individual members in the IOB affiliated organizations.
Training course for qualified swimming pool builders The qualification to the swimming pool builder provides a current and thorough cross-section of the state of construction technology in swimming pools. The technical requirements for achieving a stable balance in the ecosystem “pond” will be presented and discussed in detail. It takes a critical examination and discussion of the various construction methods and using selected swimming pools on site. Qualifications are in Weihenstephan, Germany held in the southeast and is divided into seven training modules.
August 18, 2011 (Bremen)
Member for New Zealand
Darin A. Brenner is swimming pond Designers in New Zealand and since today an extraordinary member of the International Organization for natural bathing water (IOB) for this country.
July 27, 2011 (Bremen/Germany)
DANA – database Natural Ponds
The IOB board has taken the decison to join the project «Database for natural swimming ponds (DANA)» with the intention to search public natural swimming ponds as new project partners.
Created years ago, funded by the German Federal Environmental Foundation, DANA had the main goal to create data collection from about 30 natural swimming ponds in Germany. The analysis of the data should give answers to previously unanswered questions of environmental performance of public baths.
In the public debate in some European countries is criticized, that bio-mechanical water treatment of natural pools does not ensure hygienic demands and the good results can not be documented entirely as it would be desirable.
In some European countries, the authorities often lack sufficient information about the good performing of natural bathing facilities. So if confronted with a proposal of a new project they react as if only the addition of chlorine to the pool water protects against harmful bacteria.
To react in some European countries, the authorities often lack sufficient information with the sweeping ruling that offer only the addition of chlorine in the pool for swimming pools to protect against bacterial count could be exceeded.
Confronted with the situation, IOB board has taken the decision to accept the offer to joint the project database for natural swimming pools (in short: DANA).
June 29, 2011 (Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic)
Legal regulations on public swimming ponds
As announced at the edge of the preparations for the 6th International conference about swimming ponds, Czech Republic is the second European country (first was Austria), which receives a statutory regulation referring public natural swimming ponds.
There the Law No 135/2004 Sb. is under revision now. In this legislation, which generally has the object of bathing facilities, are now to be incorporated facilities “approved for swimming and with a natural water purification system equipped construction”. At the same time are taken “sanitary requirements concerning the equipment and operation of these facilities”. Details will be presented at the Congress in Ceske Budejovice.
Also in France is the Ministry of Health is preparing a statutory scheme which will be basically an adaptation of the so-called AFFSET regulation which so far tentatively regulated the sector.
June 17, 2011 (Bremen, Germany)
IOB now also in Africa
With Dr. Jerome Davis of the company aQua-design from South Africa, the IOB is now also represented on this continent. At its meeting today, the IOB board has received the swimming pond designer from the Cape as a new extraordinary member.
May 17, 2011 (Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic)
With the rally by bus to the Congress
Here we go! Preparations for the 6th International swimming pond Congress in Ceske Budejovice (28 to 30 September 2011) are now largely completed. From Prague, Munich, Vienna and Graz, it goes by bus to the swimming pond Congress at Ceske Budejovice. Departure is always September 26th. Registration for the conference and for the popular rallies from Germany and Austria to Budejovice and the registration as an exhibitor are now possible:
May 16, 2011 (Hvalsø, Denmark)
Denmark: allowed public natural swimming pond
Also thanks to the technical support from the International Organization for natural bathing water (IOB) the construction of a public swimming pond has been approved for the first time in Denmark. The construction license of the Government of the Region Nordjylland says,»Abroad natural swimming ponds are common since several years. In particular, Austria has a long tradition, but also Germany, Switzerland and Sweden have public natural swimming ponds. These countries have adopted functional and performance requirements for their construction and operation. These requirements were decisive to established in this permit requirements for construction and operation of the natural swimming pond at Camping Ålbæk beach.«
How Lars Juncker, extraordinary IOB member for Denmark, reports, was one of the bases for the decision the overview of the legal nature of the swimming ponds in the different European countries (developed by IOB). It is an example of administrative action to be followed by others such as Spain and Greece.
May 10, 2011 (Bavaria, Germany)
New public swimming pond
From Bavaria, two new public natural swimming ponds are reported: Breitenbrunn and Gössweinstein. After two years of planning and construction time one can have a swim in chlorine-free water at Breitenbrunn.
At Breitenbrunn the natural pond is operated as a public bathing place without constant supervision, with free admission. The natural pool cost around 730,000 €.
May 9, 2011 (Mol, Belgim)
No licence necessary
While in some European countries the building of private swimming ponds is accompanied by the authorities with strong constraints a good news is coming from Belgium. The Flemish Regional Government has taken the decision that swimming ponds have to be considered as so-called small buildings and should be created without applying for a permit. This applies to a system size of up to 80 m2. This reports Jean Vanhoof, extraordinary IOB member for Belgium.
April 15, 2011 (Bremen)
Extraordenary member for Belgium
Jean Vanhoof, swimming pond planner and author, is a new extraordinary member for Belgium. Received by IOB Board resolution on April 15th 2011.
January 21, 2011 (Bremen)
Extraordinary Member from the Netherlands
Thijs Weijns is swimming pond constructor in Amsterdam and IOB board accepted him today as extraordinary member of IOB.
January 10, 2011 (Bremen)
Asthma risk in baby swimming in chlorine?
«Suspicion surrounds that swimming in chlorinated pool water may trigger asthma, in particular by the baby swimming. It is necessary to study the nature and effect of eligible materials from the indoor air to carry out further knowledge to fill the gap existing», behind this buttery soft wording of the German Federal Environment Agency put no less than the warning Babayschwimmen in chlorine.
If even the press office of the Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) formulated «for children under two years of age, with family history of allergies, no more baby swimming so far,” then it is not good for the health outlook for our youngest when they arrive in indoor pools for swimming.
This recommendation requires no further comment by the natural ponds industry. It is enough to quote the press release on the UBA: “Possibly reaction products of chlorine may contribute to the development of asthma in high-risk groups. Especially trichloramine, a reaction product of chlorine and registered by swimmers urea, has come as asthma-causing substance in suspicion. Whether in fact a harmful effect on the lung starts in early childhood stage, and this leads to asthma, may be judged not final because of lack of data on the threshold level of trichloramine. Concerned parents of children under two years, accumulating in their families occur allergies, does the Federal Environmental Agency (UBA) to refrain from baby swimming for precautionary reasons,until to determine whether the suspicions are confirmed.»
December 17, 2010 (Bremen, Germany)
Swimming pond association in Israel
Israel Natural Swimming Pools Association (INSPA) is the name new association founded on 12/16/2010. Still, they are are very few companies, but active since years. Thus they established the first industry organization for swimming ponds outside of Europe. At its meeting today IOB’s board has agreed to the application for membership of INSPA to the IOB.
October 21, 2010 (Bremen)
New members
At its meeting on 10.19.2010 the IOB Board accepted Mr. Ümit Düzgün (Turkey) and Mr. Nikostratos Vardakis (Greece) as new extraordninary members.
October 21, 2010 (Ceske Budejovice)
Notice: International Swimming Pond Congress
The sixth International Swimming Pond Congress with Trade Fair will be held from 28 until 30th of September 2011 in Ceske Budejovice under the auspices of IOB and organized by the Czech swimming pond builder’s federation. Just two days before beginning of the Congress, on 26 and 27th September, there are excursions to swimming ponds in the Czech Republic.
»Swimming ponds is without frontiers« is the motto of the event, which on the one hand remembers the nowadays very wide variety of naturally purified bathing water, on the other hand, recalls that it becomes just 20 years ago that the borders separating nations in middle of Europe have been pulled down with the help of the Czech nation.
Every two years in the autumn the International Congress is held in an European country. After Geisenheim (Germany), Salzburg (A), Interlaken (CH), Hannover (D) and Merano (I) it is already the sixth edition of this gathering of some 300 representatives of the swimming pond industry.
«With the staging of the event in 2011 in Ceske Budejovice, we want to reflect the fact that our colleagues in the Czech Republic with 25 companies created an impressive number of swimming ponds and natural pools in only a few years of existing», said Udo Schwarzer, Chairman of the IOB.
October 17, 2010 (Bremen)
New FLL guideline in early 2011
The Landscape Research, Development and Construction Society (FLL) will release the completely new Directive on public natural swimming pools in the first quarter of 2011. The account after months of work by an expert commission created recast the latest knowledge in the construction of public swimming pools. The first version was published in 2003. A major focus of the review is the concretization of hints and recommendations for filtration.
September 29, 2010 (London)
Mini-Conference of the British Association
Nine out of thirteen member companies of the British swimming pond Association (BANSP) and other interested parties from the natural pools industry gathered for one of the IOB-supported mini-conference at the Capel Manor House in London. Priority issues were the presentation of existing regulations in Europe and establishing of the swimming pond industry on the island.
Tim Evans, Steve Day and David Nettleton of the board of BANSP gave an overview of the current natural swimming pool projects on the island and a brief history of the British swimming pond construction, which began in 2001, with a winning project on the famous Hampton Court Flower Show. A project that was only shown at the garden show for a few days and then had to give way to the palace lawn. Udo Schwarzer and Stefan Bruns expressed by the IOB an overview of the swimming pond industry in Europe as well as an introduction to existing regulations in other countries.
Of great interest was the exchange with representatives of the swimming pool industry who were invited to the event and like all admired the beautiful swimming pond existing at the conference center, a college for garden and landscape constructores.
For more information about BANSP in the IOB-Newsletter 4.
July 23, 2010 (Bremen)
British swimming pond association turned member
Since 23 July 2010, the British swimming pond federation BANSP is member of the IOB. The board of IOB unanimously approved host application and added the BANSP as the eighth member of IOB. Chairman is Mr. Tim Evans.
The British Association for Natural Swimming Pools (BANSP) was recently founded, on 8th of June 2010, at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Wallingford, Oxfordshire. It currently represents about 10 companies in the British Isles that deal primarily with the design and construction of natural swimming pools and swimming ponds in the UK and Ireland.
April 15, 2010 (Osnabruck)
DANA project
At the spring meeting of the Working Group for lakes and swimming (ABS) on 15 April in the premises of the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) the technical evaluation of the database system for natural swimming ponds (DANA) was presented, which was elaborated as a research and development project with funding from the German Federal Environmental Foundation.
DANA examined and compared the tens of thousands of records of over 30 public natural swimming ponds in Germany over several years of operation. The results are very encouraging and demonstrate for the first time the scientific reliability of the natural swimming ponds.
March 19, 2010 (Bremen)
French organization joined
At its meeting of 19 March 2010, the IOB Board unanimously approved the application of the French swimming pond federation AFBB and added the “Association française de baignade biologique” as the seventh member. The AFBB was founded only 4th December last year. Chairman is Mr. Dirk Esser.
February 26, 2010 (Bremen)
IOB goes online
With the website online, IOB has now its most important communication tool. “Dialogue with the public and dialogue within the industry, both as possible across borders – these are our most important objectives we designed a multifaceted website for,” says IOB representative Stefan Bruns.