LIC and Astoria waterfront to be tested as potential sites for floating pool

The Long Island City or Astoria waterfront might become the home of a floating pool that will filter water from the East River to become safe and swimmable water.

The designers behind +POOL, the world’s first water-filtering, floating pool, has reached the next step into making their design into reality as they announced they will be looking at 10 locations across the city as potential homes for their pool, first reported by Curbed.

+POOL, which brings collaborators from design offices Family and PlayLab, plans a pool area “for everyone” as it brings four pools into one plus-sign-shaped complex, including a kid’s pool, sports pool, lap pool and lounge pool.

Described “like a giant strainer,” according to the +Pool official website, the floating pool will filter the river water within its walls, removing bacteria, contaminants and odors.

Dong-Ping Wong, one of the founding partners of the project, said the main key of the design is to try to filter all the water without chemicals. The reason behind this is because the filtered water will later go back into the river as there is a turn over every few hours.

Of the 10 locations being looked at, one is the Hunters Point in Long Island City, while the other is Hallets Point in Astoria.

According to a +POOL representative, they will look into the water conditions at both Queens sites to understand the depth, access points, navigable channels, 100-year flood wave heights, current speeds, tidal elevation and harbor conditions.

Water quality testing for sites that might be able to accommodate +POOL will include testing various parameters to understand how +POOL’s filtration system will support the site, the representative said.

The other sites that will be looked at include Bush Terminal Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Domino Sugar Factory, Governor’s Island, Hudson River Park, St. George and Transmitter Park.

Wong added that he understands people’s reactions into the idea of swimming in water that had been in the river but their goal is to invite people to the areas and over time desensitize their thoughts when it comes to the body of water.

“It’s not just a cesspool. It’s a pretty incredible body of water,” Wong said. “The hope is eventually people will see it as a real natural resource.”

He also said that their plan is to bring the floating pool to the neighborhoods that are in the process of developing, such as the Long Island City and Astoria waterfront, and work to have a positive impact on those communities.

The group has started to look at the potential sites and a location is hoped to be confirmed by the end of the year.

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