School is out for the summer, and poolside relaxation is in. Whether used as an aquatic playground for the kids, a personal natatorium for daily exercise or a tranquil getaway just steps from your door, backyard pools are the perfect spaces to enjoy your summer. We all revel in our time spent by them in the sunshine, but how much do we actually know about swimming pools?
In-ground swimming pool and spa builder Anthony & Sylvan Pools offers these seven fun facts about swimming pools.
- The oldest known swimming pool is in Pakistan. The world’s oldest known swimming pool is The Great Bath, located in Mohenjo-Daro, Pakistan. Situated amongst the ruins of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, this pool is estimated to date all the way back to the 3rd millennium BC.
- An Olympic-sized pool can hold up to 850,000 gallons of water. Olympic-sized pools are always 50 meters long, but they can have widths of either 25 yards or 25 meters. That’s enough water to fill more than 9,400 bathtubs!
- Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise. It’s a great cardiovascular workout, strengthening both the heart and the lungs. Burning more calories than walking or biking, swimming uses every major muscle group in the body, making it an ideal activity to keep you in shape.
- The United States has an estimated 10.4 million residential swimming pools. Additionally, there are approximately 309,000 public swimming pools. This means that the U.S. has about one pool for every 31 people!
- Half of Americans can’t swim or perform basic safety skills. According to a survey conducted by the Red Cross, more than 50% of Americans either can’t swim or don’t contain basic “water competency” skills. With eight out of 10 Americans planning to swim in the pool or beach this summer, enrolling your children in swim lessons or safety courses becomes critical.
- Chlorine can kill bacteria, such as E. coli, in as little as one minute. But, it can’t kill all illness-causing germs that quickly. Other viruses and parasites can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 10 days to be eradicated. To avoid acquiring a recreational water illness, make sure to regularly check your chlorine and pH levels.
- The largest swimming pool in the world is in Chile. In Algarroba, Chile, the San Alfonso del Mar resort is home to the world’s largest swimming pool. A Guinness Book of World Records holder, the pool has an area of 19.77 acres and can hold 66 million gallons of water.
“We love providing homeowners with their very own backyard retreat, but there’s so much more to swimming pools than the average buyer knows,” said Tom Casey, Vice President of Sales at Anthony & Sylvan Pools. “Through these fun facts, we brought to light the fascinating history, safety tips and other interesting facts about swimming pools to better inform the everyday consumer about the pools they enjoy so much time in.”
With these fun facts and safety tips from Anthony & Sylvan Pools at your disposal, you’re sure to be a hit at the next summer pool party!
