Hydrocare Pool Services’ sand filter technology a solution for older pools

With local governments having to weigh up the challenge of Australia’s ageing stock of aquatic centres against the rising cost of new facilities, technology is presenting new solutions for the refurbishment of older aquatic infrastructure.

Robert Savell, Managing Director of Hydrocare Pool Services Pty Ltd, is aware that in refurbishing older centres, an old gravity sand filtration and the carbon content contained is an often overlooked asset.

Fearing that such systems are “simply written off” by many consultants, Savell has experience that upgrading gravity sand filters can be done at a relatively low cost.

Savell explains “we have been converting concrete gravity sand filters since 2010 and no new filter system compares.

“Our Hybrid Vacuum Gravity Sand (HVGS) filters have been installed on 50 metre pools upgrading flow rates to current codes.”

Savell is passionate about the cost advantages of pool renovations, citing the cost advantages achieved by updating, highlighting that access ramps and extra lanes have been successfully added to old pool structures.

Hydrocare has been involved with concrete filter cells for over 30 years and has specialised in Gravity Sand upgrades for the past 12 years. The performance of the filters is due to the Filter Nozzle design which allows for the improved flow and backwashing. 

Concrete Cell Works have been designed for flowrates of up to 694 litres per second.

Gravity sand filtration is an effective and efficient technology that uses coarse sand and other granular media to remove particles and impurities that have been trapped in flocculation (the separation of a solution, commonly the removal of sediment from a fluid).

Currently two HVGS filters are being constructed at the new Casino Aquatic Centre/Casino Memorial Swimming Pool for Richmond Valley Council.

Click here to contact Hydrocare Pool Services Pty Ltd through their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory.

Images: The Casino Aquatic Centre/Casino Memorial Swimming Pool (top, credit: Richmond Valley Council) and the technology in Hydrocare Pool Services' Hybrid Vacuum Gravity Sand filters (below).