Should you consider pool depth reduction? We think so. Ditching the diving board and filling in the diving well can cut operational costs, save energy and reduce chemical usage.

Diving boards have fallen out of fashion. Many commercial pools have decided to remove them. This is mainly for safety reasons (they pose an accident risk and require additional lifeguarding).

But with the boards gone, this leaves huge parts of the pool unnecessarily deep.

Diving requires a depth of 3m and will typically divide a pool into three sections. One-third shallow, one-third steep slope, and one-third for the diving well. Without the diving facilities, around two-thirds is far deeper than it needs to be, and could therefore benefit from depth reduction.

Advantages of pool depth reduction

  • Reduced total water volume
  • Less chemicals required
  • Less energy needed for heating
  • Faster turnover (leading to better water quality)

How does it work?

Reducing the depth is straightforward. After draining the water, the space must be filled. ‘Infill’ is used to fill the void. This can be either a lightweight foam concrete or high-density polystyrene blocks installed to a level about 150mm below the required finished floor level. The infill is then topped with reinforced concrete, levelled, and left to cure for four weeks. New drainage pipework must also be fitted, or the existing pipework extended up to the new finished floor level.

Is there a case to ditch diving boards?

On top of cost savings, from reduced heating and chemical requirements, removing a diving board and reducing the depth can make a pool ‘more useable’. Without the 3m deep end, the pools ‘play area’ significantly increases. This can make for an all-round better facility, for children, as well as for team sports such as water polo and water volleyball.

Plus, there are the safety benefits for removing the boards – so it’s definitely worth considering.

How much money could be saved?

Sterling can advise on the best method of reducing your pool depth and provide an estimate for the cost savings available.

Need more information? Contact James on 01246 857000 or email: jamesh@sterling-hydrotech.co.uk