A relatively new industry association for natural pools has joined a similarly minded international group.
The Association for Swimming Ponds and Natural Swimming Pools has joined with the International Organization for Natural Bathing Waters, known as IOB. The Bremen, Germany-based group includes 12 national swimming pond organizations representing more than 600 individuals and companies from nations such as Switzerland, Italy, Britain and Germany. The organization holds a trade show every other year.
“We will be the U.S. association in the IOB,” said James Robyn, president/ co-founder of ASPNSP.
Robyn, who’s also president/CEO of Robyn’s Natural Pools Inc., dba BioNova Natural Pools in Chester, N.J., incorporated ASPNSP about a year ago as a nonprofit, and began recruiting a few months ago. It represents professionals and hobbyists involved with ponds that people swim in and natural swimming pools (aka NSPs), which are not disinfected or sterilized with chemicals or devices. Water is cleaned by natural biological processes.
“ASPNSP was formed to be a resource for those who design and build natural pools, to provide them with what they need to know to be successful,” Robyn said. To that end, the association aims to foster regulatory compliance in the design, permitting and construction of NSPs — and to act as a resource for the education and certification of designers and builders, as well as educating homeowners with NSPs.
So far, the group has 14 members. ASPNSP has four membership categories: professional (those actively involved in the natural swimming pool industry as designers, builders, maintenance professionals or consultants); associate (homeowners, health departments, educators or advocacy groups interested in natural swimming pools); student; and commercial (a commercial or public entity, such as regulatory, product manufacturer, service provider or trade group).
The ASPNSP plans to hold a national meeting in late fall or early winter, probably in Houston.
