New York City will unveil a futuristic, self-filtering swimming pool, aptly named + POOL, at Pier 35 on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. After more than a decade of planning, + POOL has secured a permanent location and will soon open its doors to the public.
At its core, + POOL is a water filtration facility designed to purify one million gallons of East River water daily. Its adaptable design allows for multiple configurations, including lap swimming, lounging, water sports and children’s activities, making it an ideal destination for families and individuals alike. The pool’s unique three-layer filtration system and final disinfection meets beach standards for swimmable water, ensuring a safe and healthy environment for users.
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The brainchild of a small team of engineers, + POOL was first conceived in 2010 with the ambitious goal of making the East River safe for swimming. Since its inception, the project has undergone several testing phases, including a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2010 and a scaled version of the filtration system tested in the Hudson River in 2014. The nonprofit Friends of + POOL was founded in 2015, proving the feasibility of the technology and its ability to filter natural river water without chemicals.
The initiative has received significant support from both New York State and New York City, with a combined investment of $16 million, marking the largest statewide investment in swimming since the New Deal of the 1930s. Governor Hochul notes that the addition of a safe public pool will help address the city’s lifeguard shortage and provide a vital resource for teaching New Yorkers how to swim.
However, + POOL co-founder and architect Dong-Ping Wong has expressed concerns about the project’s potential impact on the Chinatown community, where the pool is intended to be built. “With + POOL closer to reality, I worry about how the leadership will treat the neighborhood’s long-standing communities — the majority of whom are people of color and lower income,” he said. Wong worries about the leadership’s treatment of the neighborhood’s long-standing communities, the majority of whom are people of color and lower income: “I’m concerned about what concessions to access might be made in the service of commercial interests and about what agreements with predatory developers might be taking place without my knowledge.” He emphasizes the need for clear guidelines to address the discrimination that public swimming pools have historically exacerbated.
As + POOL nears completion, it is important to acknowledge the concerns raised by Wong and ensure that the project prioritizes community involvement and inclusivity. With its revolutionary design and filtration system, + POOL has the potential to transform the East River waterfront and provide a unique recreational space for New Yorkers. As Governor Hochul notes, “This is a huge and commendable commitment from the City and State, and a testament to the tireless work of the organization and collaborators after years of pushing.”