After more than a decade of planning, New Yorkers are about to witness the realization of a visionary project that will transform the city’s waterfront. A unique floating pool, shaped like a plus sign and filled with freshly filtered East River water, is set to be installed at Pier 35 near Manhattan‘s Lower East Side. The ambitious initiative, known as +POOL, is the result of over ten years of work by a dedicated team of engineers who dreamed of making the East River a safe place for swimming.
New York State and New York City are partnering to fund a three-month water filtration demonstration project, which begins this August. In 2025, a pilot of the floating pool will be launched, with a 186 square meter section set to undergo final testing. This innovative plan aims to clean one million gallons of river water daily, turning the infamous waters of the East River into a safe and enjoyable swimming environment.
The +POOL project not only contributes to the health of New York’s waterways but also offers a versatile recreational space. The design allows for various configurations, including lap swimming, lounging, watersports, and children’s activities. It can be reconfigured into an Olympic-length pool or opened up into a larger 836 square meter area for general play. The pool’s filtration system, protected by international patents, consists of three layers and a final disinfection process that meets the standards for swimmable water.
With $12 million in funding from New York State and an additional $4 million from New York City, this initiative marks the largest investment in swimming infrastructure since the New Deal of the 1930s. Once complete, +POOL will offer New Yorkers a new way to enjoy the city’s waterfront while improving the environment at the same time.
