Natural Public Swimming Pool

Background

People in Europe have voted with their feet against Chlorine, which has been defined by the World Health Organization as Carcinogenic. The Natural Swimming Pool was developed in the beginning of the Eighties as an alternative to the Chlorinated Swimming Pools. To date there are hundreds of Public Natural Swimming Pools all around Europe. BIOTOP, the biggest Natural Swimming Pool planning and constructing company in the world (based in Austria and Germany) have just celebrated their 100th Public Natural Swimming Pool in Germany!

In Kibbutz Hokuk, on a mountain side facing the Sea of Galilee, a new Eco-Friendly neighborhood is under construction. Alice Miller, a resident of the Eco-friendly neighborhood, is determined to build the first Public Natural Swimming Pool in Israel. In January 2008, Alice met the representatives of the Health Ministry in Jerusalem. After half a year of working on the subject, the Health Ministry published the following answer:

"We have reviewed your request for a Public Natural Swimming Pool in Kibutz Hokuk. From your request we understand that in the system you propose there will be no residual disinfectant in the water. After reviewing the material you presented us and checking the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the regulations in Israel, we have reached a conclusion that we cannot authorize a Natural Public Swimming Pool without a disinfectant which is crucial for the prevention of spreading of disease and for the protection of public's health."
Mr. Shalom Goldberger, Chief Engineer, Public Health Office, Jerusalem (15.12.2008)

The Health Ministry's answer is unacceptable for the following reasons:

• The subject was checked by several International Organizations, including Health Ministries in Europe. Following the findings, regulations for Natural Water and specifically for Public Natural Swimming Pools were written. These regulations were written based on Epidemiological research, and give full confidence regarding swimming in chlorine free water.
• All around the world, people swim in many natural sources of water. In Israel we swim in the Sea of Galilee, springs, streams, Tiberius Hot Springs, the Mediterranean Sea etc. Even though these water bodies are not disinfected by chlorine, people swim in them with the blessing of the Public Health Department. The Natural Swimming Pool is similar to a natural water source. The difference lies only in it being monitored and kept cleaner from organic matter.
• Chlorine does not protect the public. Besides being Carcinogenic, it also catalyzes eye, ear, lung and vaginal infections. Bacteria have developed a resistance to chlorine forcing public swimming pool owners to use higher levels of chlorine than allowed by the authorities. Many Pathogenic micro-organisms such as Cryptosporidium, Hepatitis and Polio are Chlorine resistant. Data of the American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that Cryptosporidium is responsible for 65% of the morbidity in Chlorine Public Swimming Pools.
• The Health Ministry's mandate is not to dictate the technology used to protect public health but to direct as to the standards which need to be met.

Plenty of water has flowed down the Jordan River since then, and the Health Ministry is still holding on strong to it’s refusal to even consider scientifically, academically or legally the Natural Swimming Pool concept.

Even though we know that going to the high court is a highly "ungreen" thing to do, wasting money, time and propagating negative energy instead of celebrating life, we have no choice.

Should the court decide to force the Israeli Health Ministry to devise regulations for Public Natural Swimming Pools, it will be a great precedent for many countries such as the US and the UK in which the Authorities are still sticking their heads in the mud regarding this superb technology.

Four parties have joined up forces to combat the right of the public to swim in healthy, life giving, poison free water:

• Alice Miller
• "Ofra Hydros"
• "Settling with the Environment" (Registered NGO) of which Alice is a member
• Kibbutz Hokuk

The public in Israel and around the world has the right to swim in good water which doesn’t endanger the public or harm the environment. We intend on pursuing this right.

Funding

As per today Alice Miller and Ofra Hydros has invested over 40,000$ preparing the law suit. Should anyone be interested in helping us, we would be more than grateful. Please contact Alice on .