International Water Artisan of the Year 2025
Technical Guides —
The Project Library
Complete technical references for every stage of your natural pool project — written by the International Water Artisan of the Year 2025. From first design to first swim.
Guide 1 — Featured
Living Water — Complete Planning Guide
"The one guide that covers everything — before you design, buy, or build a single thing."
Everything you need to plan, design and understand a natural swimming pool — correctly, the first time. 50+ pages covering biology, filtration types, design styles, pump sizing, planting, construction and costs. The essential starting point for any serious natural pool project.
- How natural pool biology actually works — not the simplified version
- All five filtration types compared: from pure nature to full biopool
- Design styles: formal, hybrid and naturalistic — choosing for your site
- Pump sizing, turnover rates and hydraulic schematic basics
- Plant selection, substrate specification and establishment
- Construction approaches and material selection
- Regional cost breakdowns — Portugal, U.S., Middle East, UK
Specialist References
The Complete Library
Each guide covers one subject in full technical depth — the level you need to design, build or manage correctly. No padding. No repetition.
Guide 2
Pump & Plumbing Systems for Natural Pools
"The most technically misunderstood area in natural pool design — and the most expensive to get wrong."
- Flow rate calculations and turnover sizing by pool type
- Pipe sizing, friction loss and head pressure worked examples
- Multi-circuit design for swim zone + regeneration + features
- Variable speed drives — programming and energy savings
- Equipment chamber layout and access specification
Guide 3
Wetland & Biofilter Design — Complete Technical Guide
"Most natural pool filtration failures trace back to one document never written correctly — until now."
- HSSF vs vertical flow vs pressurised biofilter — full comparison
- Substrate specification and gravel grade selection
- Hydraulic loading calculations and sizing formulas
- Inlet and outlet pipe design with worked examples
- Seasonal management and troubleshooting matrix
Guide 4
Aquatic Planting — The Complete Species & Design Guide
"The wrong plant in the wrong place will cost you more than the filter. This guide prevents that."
- Full species database indexed by climate zone and function
- Planting density specification by zone type
- Sourcing, establishment protocols and year-one management
- Invasive species by region — what to avoid and why
- Long-term plant balance and seasonal management
Guide 5
Converting a Chlorine or Salt Pool to Natural
"Everything you need to go chemical-free — without rebuilding from scratch."
- Structural assessment and liner compatibility testing
- The three conversion approaches compared side by side
- Filtration retrofit options for every pool type
- Realistic costs and timelines for each approach
- What to keep, what to replace, what to add
Guide 6
Water Quality, Testing & Troubleshooting
"The guide every natural pool owner needs the day their pool is finished."
- What to test, target ranges and testing schedules
- Green water — causes, diagnosis and resolution
- Algae, foam, cloudiness and odour — complete troubleshooting matrix
- Failed startup protocols — how to recover
- Year-one vs established pool management differences
Guide 7
Natural Pool Lighting — Design & Installation
"Done wrong, lighting destroys the atmosphere you spent months building. Done right, it extends the pool season by four hours a day."
- Underwater LED placement strategy for natural pools
- Perimeter and landscape lighting integration
- Control systems and scene programming
- Energy efficiency and operating cost calculations
- Safety requirements near water — full compliance guide
Guide 8
Construction Methods — Excavation, Liners & Groundworks
"The structural decisions made in week one determine whether your pool performs for 10 years or 40."
- EPDM, concrete-liner and bentonite systems — full comparison
- Excavation specification and soil assessment
- Drainage design and pipe penetration details
- Coping, stonework and edge construction
- Quality control checkpoints at each construction stage
Guide 9
Natural Pool Maintenance — The Complete Seasonal Guide
"Most natural pool problems are maintenance problems. Most maintenance problems are calendar problems."
- Month-by-month maintenance calendar — all 12 months
- Equipment servicing schedules and parts to keep on hand
- Plant management through the seasons
- Winter shutdown and spring startup protocols
- Year 1 vs year 3+ management — what changes and why
Guide 10
Designing for Hot Climates — Mediterranean, Middle East & Beyond
"Everything you know about natural pool biology changes above 30°C. This guide covers what."
- Design adaptations for sustained 40°C+ summers
- Turnover rates and UV-C sizing for high-heat conditions
- Evaporation management and water loss calculations
- Shading strategies — structural and biological
- Species selection for Mediterranean and arid climates
Best Value
Full Project Pass
Every guide. Every stage. One price.
Unlock the complete library instantly — Living Water plus all 9 specialist guides. Includes every new guide added to the library as it grows. Everything you need from first conversation to first swim.
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