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Directories Int'l Realty US Realty
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A Swimming Pool May Not be What You Want Stuart Lieberman, Esq., Swimming pools can be a nice home addition. You can spend $10 thousand on a small pool and you can spend $100 thousand a very nicely manicured pool. I am partial to the nicely decorated pools. The pools in people's back yards that look like they belong to an expensive hotel or country club. Very often the landscaping costs exceed the pool costs. In my view, the more landscaping, the better. Having said that, I have a personal view that may not be popular. I believe that pools are not environmentally friendly. And I think they are socially lacking as well. Pools use thousand of gallons of water. Which means that pools are not water preservation friendly. Realistically, all of that water is used by just a few people. Family pools are usually used by a few family members, except, that is, in the first year. In the first year, pool owners are inclined to have lots of pool parties because they are excited about their new purchase. But that excitement seems to fade soon thereafter. So all of this water is used (wasted?) by a few people. Pool owners often complaint that they have little use for their pools after their children leave home (of course, some never leave). More than one pool has actually been filled with dirt after the children left home. Since pools should not be left empty, many empty nesters are stuck with full pools that are seldom used by anyone. Also, many pools need to be heated. That consumes a lot of energy as well. And then there are the nasty chemicals that must be used. I prefer community pools. Why? Because a lot of people use them so the resources are more efficiently employed. I feel less badly if large amounts of people enjoy pools filled with heated water. Also, community pools support communities in the same manner that successful downtowns support communities. They are places where neighbors congregate, talk and recreate. They help people feel that they are not isolated. I also like hot tubs. Hot tubs only use a few hundred gallons of water, which makes more sense for families. And while pools cannot be used year wide in many parts of the country, hot tubs can always be used. I love my outdoor hot tub and use it in the middle of New Jersey winters. Hot tubs are therapeutic, relaxing and encourage family members to come together and talk. Finally, outdoor frequent pool usage can be dangerous because it exposes people to the sun and risk of skin cancer. Remember, there is no such thing as a safe tan, unless it comes from a bottle. I know that many people love their pools and their tans. If you want to invite me to your pool to discuss this issue, I will likely accept your invitation.
The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.
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