It appears that the current aspiration of every global metropolis that has polluted itself to the brink is to once again immerse its feet in its waterways without contracting E. coli. In Paris, they took a monumental leap toward this dream by investing $1.5 billion to cleanse the Seine River in preparation for the Olympics (though judging by the hospitalization of several female athletes who participated in the marathon swim event, with limited success). In contrast, New York has chosen to first test the waters by dipping a toe and is preparing to launch a floating swimming pool that doubles as a massive purification facility.
(Video: Family New York)
The new pool, spanning 9,000 square feet, is designed in the shape of a plus sign, hence its name: POOL+. The designers explain that the pool "is intended for everyone," thus it is designed as four pools in one: a children's pool, a sports games pool, a competitive swimming pool, and a leisure pool for cooling off from the heat. Each of the pools can be used independently to cater to all types of swimmers, or they can be combined to create an Olympic-length swimming pool. In the summer of 2025, only 2,000 square feet of the pool will be opened, located on a floating barge above the East River at Pier 35 in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Subsequently—subject to water quality tests and E. coli bacteria checks—the other sections of the pool will also be opened.
The pool will feature a water filtration system that promises to draw river water and render it clean enough for swimming without the use of chemicals. Additionally, the pool will act like a colossal filter that purifies the water from bacteria and germs, making at least part of the river clean and suitable for bathing. The goal is to filter nearly 1 million gallons of water per day.
POOL+ is funded as part of a broader $150 million initiative unveiled by the State of New York earlier this year, called "NY SWIMS" (New York State Swimming Investments). It is defined as the largest swimming investment by any state in the U.S. since the "New Deal," and aims to increase access to swimming in high-need communities across the city.
"Through innovative solutions like POOL+, we are providing children and their families with safe swimming spaces in New York," Governor Kathy Hochul declared. Mayor Eric Adams added that the goal is "to allow equal access to swimming for all New Yorkers, especially our children. The city's waterways are among our most important assets and should be shared with the public."
A few days ago, there were quite a few eye-rubbings in the city—not from chlorine—following the statements of the governor and the mayor. After all, this project, first proposed in 2010, has had a long and winding journey. It started as an initiative by a non-profit organization that launched a Kickstarter campaign for it in 2013 and managed to raise $270,000 by pledging to engrave the names of each donor on the pool tiles.
In 2018, the beer company Heineken promoted the project with an advertising campaign that included a video narrated by actor Neil Patrick Harris, which reviewed the pool's history and included a link to an online petition supporting it. The city finally adopted the project in 2021, when former Mayor Bill de Blasio was still in office. And now, after nearly 15 years of delays and postponements, it's time to prepare the swimsuits to swim in the East River, survive, and tell the tale.