Water hydraulics in your back yard?

April 12, 2013

I received an email this morning from a company looking for hydraulic component suppliers for their innovative backyard swimming pool design. And visiting their site, seeing their pictures and video, have made me wish I could have such a pool (but never will, alas!)

Mary Gannon

I received an email this morning from a company looking for hydraulic component suppliers for its innovative backyard swimming pool design. And visiting its website, seeing pictures and video, have made me wish I could have such a pool (but never will, alas!)

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The company, Hidden Water Pools, uses low-pressure (just 90 psi, so not really our usual type of fluid power, but still cool!) hydraulic cylinders to raise and lower a platform, turning what looks like a concrete deck into a 1-in. to 6-ft pool.

The image to the right is a screen capture from one of the company's brochures, showing the patio, a shallow pool, and the deep pool.

For those that don't think technology like this is all that plausible in your back garden, check out this article from Amlok. That company's hydraulic rod locks are used to stabilize a similar platform in a large pool, to lift and lower disabled individuals into the pool.

As Hidden Water Pools says on its site, what a great way to conserve water and land by using the same space for a pool AND a deck. Pretty cool!