“The Celestial Floatation Pool, which is the UK’s largest hydrotherapy pool, is unusual as it contains salt imported from the Dead Sea,” commented Neil Phelps, Nirvana’s Maintenance Manager. “We match the specific gravity of the Dead Sea, and this high salt concentration makes the water very buoyant and floating in the pool is perfect for spinal alignment. Bathers in the warm (35 ºC), mineral-rich waters are removed from most external stimuli and a gentle current gives the sensation of floating in space. This provides both mental and physical benefits and many sports men and women, including International rugby players, skiers and rowers, use the pool to enhance their performance and reduce their injury time.”
“UV allows us to run the chlorine at the right levels and there is no way we’d be able to achieve the level of water purity without it. As the water temperature is kept at a constant 35°C, which is higher than in leisure pools, there is an increased risk of infection from microorganisms such as bacteria and moulds which thrive in warm water. Microbiological control is a key aspect of the water quality and UV plays an important part in that control and bacteriological checks are carried out regularly,” added Neil.
UV is highly effective at killing any bacteria, viruses or moulds in the water, including Cryptosporidium and its spores, which are chlorine-resistant. Another major advantage of UV is that it considerably reduces the amount of chlorine required to maintain hygiene levels. This reduces problems associated with chlorine by-products such as chloramines, which are formed when free chlorine reacts with sweat or urine in pool water. Trichloramines in particular are powerful irritants which are responsible for eye and respiratory complaints and the unpleasant 'chlorine smell' commonly associated with indoor pools.
Each UV system installed at Nirvana Spa consists of a stainless steel chamber containing a high intensity Hanovia UVLux lamp, which is housed in a special quartz sleeve to protect it from the pool water. The chambers are carefully designed by Hanovia engineers using advanced flow calculation methods, ensuring maximum performance by making sure all the water flowing through the chambers receives the correct UV dose. As an alternative to other water treatment systems such as ozone, UV is a cost-effective and low maintenance technology.
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