Private Swimming Pools on Big Island (Hilo, Kailua: houses, construction, tile)

[navyapproved]

What is the situation regarding private swimming pools on Big Island? I want to move to BI, Either Kamuela or Kailua area in a couple years. What is the situation re: personal swimming pools there. Are they unheard of, impractical?
Is water an issues.

[hotzcatz]

Most people who have private swimming pools use them for water catchment to supply water to their houses. There are a few folks who actually swim in their pool, though. The issues here are mostly for general safety I think. I'm not certain, but I believe a fence around them is required. Also we have earthquakes so that might change the pool construction a bit.

Electricity is pretty expensive so pumping water can be prohibitive to having a pool.

Oh, for what it's worth, "Kamuela" is more or less just the name of the post office in Waimea town. There are loads of different towns named "Waimea" in the state of Hawaii so they wanted a different name for the post office. Most folks call the town "Waimea" although the post office and small airport there are called "Kamuela". We have two "Ninole's" on the island, too.

[navyapproved]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Most people who have private swimming pools use them for water catchment to supply water to their houses. There are a few folks who actually swim in their pool, though. The issues here are mostly for general safety I think. I'm not certain, but I believe a fence around them is required. Also we have earthquakes so that might change the pool construction a bit.

Electricity is pretty expensive so pumping water can be prohibitive to having a pool.

Oh, for what it's worth, "Kamuela" is more or less just the name of the post office in Waimea town. There are loads of different towns named "Waimea" in the state of Hawaii so they wanted a different name for the post office. Most folks call the town "Waimea" although the post office and small airport there are called "Kamuela". We have two "Ninole's" on the island, too.

Thank you for your reply and info

I can solve the cost issue either with money or sunshine, both are abundant enough. Is water in short supply?.

Yes, I am familiar with the naming issues etc., I read it somewhere in my research, which has been ongoing for over a year now. I resided in Aiea (Pearl Harbor area) for a few years, and visited all the Islands. The B.I. seems to offer what I want most. I was reading an earlier thread about hunting on the B.I. - everything but deer, which are on other islands.

[Balad1]

A pool in Hawaii is not unusual for the people who desire one and can afford it. On the BI they are available in both gunite and fiberglass.

The cost of running the pool pump and heating the water (yes the water is cool in the winter) can be mitigated through the use of solar PV and hot water. I know someone who uses a special 12V pump and has PV panels on the pool house to power it.

[hotzcatz]

Water is in short supply in some areas of the Big Island. Places such as Oceanview (aka H.O.V.E.) depends on catching rainfall for their water and they don't get very many inches of rain each year. They are usually on some sort of water saving almost all the time. However, an extra swimming pool of water might help their household water supply so a swimming pool wouldn't really be a bad thing. I think a tanker full of water is several hundred dollars if you have to have the water trucked in. When they bring in water, they usually put it in an above ground swimming pool, although it is called a "catchment tank".

Many folks in Puna, Mountain View, etc., also collect rainwater for their household water supply yet they get a lot more rain so they aren't on water saving measures very often at all. Some areas of the island are on County water so they usually have enough water all the time and there are one or two private water companies who also provide water.

At the moment, there is a drought going on in the Kohala & Waimea area so the ranchers are having trouble keeping the livestock watered. I have a "farm" of one acre without irrigation near Pauuilo. The beans hiding behind the windbreak look like they will survive and produce some beans, the corn looks like it is going to be almost a total bust. Fortunately it is a small enough farm that the losses aren't great. A swimming pool of water would have been enough to irrigate it so even a farm could use a swimming pool.

Almost all of Hilo is on the County water system which pulls from wells, I think. Anyway, Hilo has loads of water. I think their annual rainfall is over ten feet per year.

[Koale]

Aloha,
Plenty of folks have private pools. There are many options. It's totally up to you.
Koale

[navyapproved]

Originally Posted by Balad1

A pool in Hawaii is not unusual for the people who desire one and can afford it. On the BI they are available in both gunite and fiberglass.

The cost of running the pool pump and heating the water (yes the water is cool in the winter) can be mitigated through the use of solar PV and hot water. I know someone who uses a special 12V pump and has PV panels on the pool house to power it.

I will probably enclose it with a screen enclosure and use the "roof" as a solar collector for heat and electricity.

[mdand3boys]

There are some stunning pools, with exquisite tile work all around the island. If you move here and want a really special pool, send me a direct message and I will give you the name/number of a tile artist that does amazing custom work. Some of his past clients include the "Hollywood types".

[SkyBob]

Originally Posted by mdand3boys

There are some stunning pools, with exquisite tile work all around the island. If you move here and want a really special pool, send me a direct message and I will give you the name/number of a tile artist that does amazing custom work. Some of his past clients include the "Hollywood types".

It isn't Marshall White, is it? I've seen his work on the Big Island and was blown away. I can't draw a straight line.

[dpmp]

Originally Posted by mdand3boys

There are some stunning pools, with exquisite tile work all around the island. If you move here and want a really special pool, send me a direct message and I will give you the name/number of a tile artist that does amazing custom work. Some of his past clients include the "Hollywood types".

Does he have any pictures to show?