A green pool in Constantia

The large pool in a Constantia house was finding little use after the departure of family, and the cost of maintenance was becoming exorbitant. With Cape Town running out of water some lateral thought was needed – a borehole and a green pool which formed the reservoir for the garden water supply was the simple answer. Chemical treatment was stopped, and underwater plants which created oxygen were put into the pool. Reeds, water lilies and other such plants formed a natural environment for birds, frogs, fish, crabs, and a variety of insects. In a short time the water was crystal clear and no further treatment was found to be necessary.

A balustrade was also now needed to prevent pets and young children from venturing into the pool. The curved organic shape of the pool precluded the use of a conventional balustrade with a timber or steel handrail, and a cable solution provided the ideal answer. Curved steel posts were fixed to the brick surround, and the top rail was created by a 16mm diameter cable, continuous around the whole pool, with 4mm cables below.

The resulting green pool has found favour with kingfishers, cormorants, herons, ducks, and geese and provided water for the house and garden.