November 2014 - Parks & Recreation - 62

Operations
Mighty Moss

Using sphagnum moss to aid in filtering pool water could
be a green, cost-saving alternative to pool chemicals
By Samantha Bartram

onservation-minded park and recreation professionals are always looking for ways to " green " their operations. We want to offer our communities the healthiest options when it comes to wellness, exercise and fun,
while conserving water and energy in the process. Unfortunately, this is more
easily accomplished in certain areas of a facility than others. Indoor and outdoor community pools are buzzing hubs of activity all year long, and that often
means a lot of labor and chemicals to keep our pools pleasant and, most importantly, sanitary. But, some agencies have found a more earth-friendly filtration
option that reportedly helps keep pool water clean, cuts down on chemical
and water use and makes for a more enjoyable swimming experience. At pools
across the country, sphagnum moss is proving to be a well-equipped, natural
water conditioner that could soon be coming to a facility near you.
Having a Moss Moment
Sphagnum moss filters are already in
widespread use at many pools operated by the City of St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as at all four University
of Maryland-operated pools. This,
thanks to Creative Water Solutions
(CWS) founder and CEO David
Knighton. In addition to being an

entrepreneur, Knighton is also a surgeon. While poring over books about
medical treatment for soldiers during
World War I, a nugget of information
popped out at him. Namely, that solders whose wounds were packed with
sphagnum moss saw faster, more effective healing, versus those who were
given cotton packs. " I knew from my

years working with wound healing
that [the moss] had to be antimicrobial, " Knighton explained in a 2012
interview with Discovery News.
As luck would have it, Knighton is
also a pilot, and one day while flying
over Minnesota, the " Land of 1000
Lakes, " he had an epiphany. " As I
went north, [the lakes] got cleaner
and cleaner, " he continued. " I wondered, 'Well, maybe it's the moss?' "
Knighton put two and two together,
and decided to test how effective natural moss could be as a filter and water conditioner in his own home spa.
Within just 10 days, he says, the moss
stabilized troublesome pH levels and
expertly tidied up his personal oasis.
Soon after, Knighton called on the
expertise of his longtime colleague,
business partner and microbiologist
Vance Fiegel, and together the two
developed the SpaNaturally and
PoolNaturally water conditioning
systems, making primary use of the
antimicrobial, absorptive properties
of sphagnum moss.
Taking On the Scum
CWS' sphagnum moss filtration
systems, available for home or commercial use, seem to be particularly
effective at dealing with biofilm, a
scummy, bacteria-laden residue that
is the primary culprit when it comes
to causing illness or infection from
pool water. Biofilm is basically a
group of microorganisms that are
stuck together, forming a thin layer
on surfaces. The Centers for Disease

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November 2014 - Parks & Recreation

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