Low cost and sanitary efficient system and method that creates two different treatment zones in large water bodies to facilitate direct contact recreational activities

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60465Β1

9٧9٣/٣٣7 LOW-COST, 7-WAY SANITARY EFFECTIVE PROCESS CREATING TWO DIFFERENT TREATMENT ZONES IN LARGE BODIES OF WATER TO FACILITATE DIRECT-CONTACT RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

This application is filed on May 28, 2020, as a PCT international application and claims the benefit of priority to a non-provisional patent application US 16/456,762 filed on June 28, 2010, the entire disclosure thereof being incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the treatment of a large body of water to make it suitable for recreational purposes; more specifically to the treatment of water using a low cost sanitation system and method to minimize the risk of growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites, among others, thereby solving the inefficiencies of current methods and systems in an innovative and low cost manner. More specifically, the invention relates to a low-cost, sanitary-effective system and method that creates two different treatment zones in large bodies of water to facilitate direct-contact recreational activities.

CONTEXT OF THE INVENTION

Conventional pool technology has been used and applied as standard fire treatment for small recreational water bodies for decades. However, such pool technology has proven to be ineffective in treating and removing many microorganisms from relatively small water bodies.

On the other hand, larger bodies of water, such as lakes used for swimming (hereinafter referred to as "swimming lakes") with higher dilution capacities, have also had problems and have been ineffective in inactivating and removing certain microorganisms, whether the body water is periodically treated or not treated at all. Furthermore, conventional swimming pool technology when applied to such large bodies of water requires significant capital costs and requires large amounts of energy and chemicals to complete its operation and maintenance. These resulting costs make the use of conventional swimming pool technology very expensive when applied to large bodies of water.

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60465031 2

In general, recreational bodies of water, such as swimming pools and larger bodies of water such as swimming lakes, are always susceptible to contamination by microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae, and parasites, among others, which can create risks for bathers who use these bodies of water for swimming, bathing, and other recreational uses through direct contact.

A. Swimming pools

For decades, swimming pool technology has been the most widely used water treatment technology for small bodies of water used for recreational swimming. During this time, various health entities around the world have adopted water treatment regulations to regulate minimum health standards for swimming pools.

Conventional pool technology essentially requires constant disinfection of the entire water volume to maintain a high ORP (Oxidation Reduction Potential) or disinfectant concentration, such as the free chlorine level on the water at all times. In addition, filtration of the entire water volume between one to six times per day (usually four times per day) is required to remove all suspended particles and contaminants from such a water volume.

However, it is important to understand that, contrary to popular belief, conventional pool disinfection technology does not kill all germs or microorganisms instantly. Instead, there are chlorine-resistant microorganisms that can survive in chlorinated pool water and cause recreational aquatic illness (hereinafter referred to as "RWI"). While some bacteria are killed within seconds with normal pool disinfection levels, there are many microorganisms that have a high tolerance to chlorine or other disinfectants. These microorganisms can survive for several days after a contamination event has occurred in the pool, because the pool disinfection treatment is not designed to kill all of these microorganisms. Cryptosporidium, for example, is a microorganism that is very resistant to conventional pool disinfection technologies. This is a significant cause of RWI, particularly in treated bodies of water such as swimming pools, as previously discussed. In fact, several studies show that free chlorine levels of around 1 to 3 ppm (like those found in swimming pools

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60465031 3 conventionally treated), may take more than 10 days to inactivate 99.9% of Cryptosporidium oocysts, as such a microorganism is very resistant to conventional methods of pool disinfection. Therefore, many bathers may swim in a pool treated according to the relevant regulations for pool disinfection standards during this 10-day period and be exposed to infection by such a microorganism.

Additionally, when it comes to conventional pool filtration technology, sand filters are typically capable of filtering particles in the size range up to 20-25 microns and cartridge filters are typically capable of removing particles in the size range up to 5-10 microns. But, as an example, Cryptosporidium oocysts are about 4-6 microns in size. This makes them very difficult to remove by conventional pool filtration, with commonly used filters only being able to remove about 25% of oocysts per pass through the filter.

Based on the above, it will be appreciated that when there is a contamination event in a swimming pool, the disinfection and filtration systems are not prepared to eliminate these microorganisms. Traditional disinfection is not sufficient to inactivate or kill these microorganisms, and the filtration system is not suitable to remove them from the water in an appropriate time period ensuring that people will not be infected once the contamination occurs. In particular, conventional pool technologies require filtering the entire volume of pool water - which is a time-consuming process that does not even allow for complete filtering of all oocysts in an appropriate amount of time - as well as the fact that chlorine may not inactivate all oocysts of some microorganisms in less than 10 days. As a result, if a contamination event occurs in the pool, these microorganisms may go undetected and infect many bathers before they are properly treated and removed from the pool water.

Therefore, swimming pools are prone to RWI triggered by microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites, among others present in the water, which can have a high resistance to conventional pool water treatment methods, and can therefore potentially reach bathers either

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60465031 4. Swallowing water, breathing in the resuspended microorganisms, or simply by direct contact with water.

A study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) summarized 90 reports of recreational waterborne illness outbreaks occurring in 2011 and 2012 in 32 states and Puerto Rico, where 69 outbreaks (76.6%/ο) were detected in conventionally treated pools. Additionally, a 2007 CDC study summarized 78 reports of recreational water-related disease outbreaks that occurred between 2005 and 2006, which accounted for illnesses occurring in 4,412 people, resulting in 116 hospitalizations and five deaths. Of these 78 outbreak reports, 31 (40%) were caused by Cryptosporidium. Another study showed that in June 2003, an outbreak of Giardia intestinalis began in a member club pool in Massachusetts, resulting in 149 cases, including secondary person-to-person transmission. Additionally, in July 2003, an outbreak of Cryptosporidium spread to several pools and day care centers in Kansas and resulted in 617 cases. This latter outbreak was the largest recreational water outbreak of 2003–2004. Additionally, in July 2004, a Cryptosporidium outbreak at a Rohio community pool caused gastroenteritis in 160 people from three counties, and in August 2004, employees with gastroenteritis at a California water park continued to perform work and recreational activities at the pools, resulting in a Cryptosporidium outbreak that involved 336 people with related illnesses.

Additionally, in 2008, the CDC reported that cases of RWI caused by Cryptosporidium in the United States had tripled since 2004. However, this increase may have been influenced by more advanced detection methods, for example, meaning that earlier cases may have existed but not been detected. More recently, data collected from the CDC during 2013-2014 indicate that there were over 71 reported outbreaks in swimming pools in the United States, resulting in over 950 cases. From 2000 to 2014, over 450 outbreaks were reported, resulting in over 27,000 cases, with over half of these cases being due to Cryptosporidium.

The cases described above reinforce the fact that some microorganisms such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia, among others, are not effectively eliminated by conventional pool treatment methods or systems. Therefore, although it

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60465031 5 Although it is commonly accepted that RWIs only pose a risk in untreated water bodies, most cases where RWIs have resulted in multiple illnesses have occurred in conventionally treated water bodies such as swimming pools, highlighting the need for methods and systems for the treatment and maintenance of recreational water bodies.

In addition to contamination from microorganisms such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia , swimming pools are prone to RWI caused by amoebae present in the water body. For example, a 2003 study in Santiago, Chile, found that five out of eight public swimming pools contained live amoebae during the summer period and that Naegleria Fowleri and Acanthoamoebas were present in 36.3% of the samples. Furthermore, one such study reported that one of the said public swimming pools where no amoeba or free-living microorganisms were found, had an extremely high chlorine concentration that made the surrounding air unbreathable and caused eye irritation (especially because it was an indoor pool with poor air circulation).

More recently, in Spain, a 10-year-old girl from the province of Toledo recovered from the first recorded case in Spain of primary amoebic encephalitis (PAME) caused by Naegleria Fowleri, contracted in a public swimming pool treated and maintained with standard swimming pool technology. Primary amoebic meningitis (PAM) is an extremely aggressive disease that causes severe headache, fever, and neck stiffness for several days and is fatal in 97% of cases. The case has surprised doctors and health officials because the public pool where the girl contracted the disease met both chlorine levels and filtration standards that are considered safe.

Currently, if a contamination event of these types occurs in a swimming pool, there are generally two consequences:

- If the contamination event goes undetected, which usually happens, the microorganisms will remain and spread in the water, potentially infecting many bathers (even if the water is treated by the conventional pool system), meaning that there could be more than 10 days of bather exposure to the dangerous microorganisms. Furthermore, as previously highlighted, the systems

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60465031 6 Conventional pool filtration takes a long time to remove oocysts from the water because there is partial filtration and in some cases, due to their size, the oocysts cannot be removed at all.

- If the contamination event is detected, to deactivate and eliminate the oocysts, it is necessary to close the pool for several days and sometimes even empty the entire volume of the pool, which rarely happens. Otherwise, the pool may go through a hyperchlorination process, which requires an extremely high chlorine concentration as described above, can make the ambient air unbreathable, as well as cause eye and skin irritation.

In conclusion, conventional pool technologies, which combine disinfection and filtration processes, are not prepared to treat certain microorganisms, such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia among others, making it difficult to ensure that the water, which is used for direct recreational purposes, is free of pathogenic microorganisms. Conventional pool systems are slow or ineffective at removing microorganisms of these types, even if they comply with required local regulations.

B. Large bodies of water

As mentioned above, there are also larger bodies of water, such as swimming lakes used for direct contact purposes, which are somewhat treated. These bodies of water are also subject to high risks associated with the presence of microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites, among others. In some cases, deaths occur after a person is infected.

Typically, these large bodies of water are partially treated using methods that are essentially reduced applications of conventional pool technologies. As a result, when these bodies of water are treated, disinfectant levels and filtration levels are typically much lower than those required in conventional pools. For example, instead of constantly maintaining 1 ppm of free chlorine in the entire water volume (like a conventional swimming pool), these large bodies of water maintain much lower levels and not necessarily constantly, and instead of filtering the entire water volume four to six times per day (as is required in

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60465031 7 a conventional swimming pool), the volume of water is partially filtered and/or with less periodicity. This partial disinfection and filtration is applied in these large bodies of water mainly for economic reasons, since the use of conventional swimming pool technologies in large bodies of water would require very high systems and equipment costs, as well as high operating costs related to the large quantities of chemicals and electricity required for filtration purposes.

It is also important to note that these partially treated swimming lakes generally have poor water clarity. This contrasts with the transparency and crystal clear conditions of conventional swimming pools, which are mainly the result of partial filtration of the water volume.

When dealing with confined recreational bodies of water, such as larger partially treated artificial lakes and lagoons, or similar, it is important to note that when not treated with conventional swimming pool technology, significant health risks can be generated. For example, there have been numerous accidents caused by dangerous microorganisms in large, confined artificial bodies of water that were not treated using traditional pool technologies, but instead used a partial application of the technology.

A representative case is Disney's River County, where an 11-year-old boy died from Naegleria Fowleri, which he contracted while swimming in their man-made lagoon. Another case occurred at the National Whitewater Center in North Carolina, where an 18-year-old woman died about a week after contracting famibia while rafting at the center.

Another recent accident occurred at an artificial surf lake in Waco, Texas, that did not use conventional pool technology but instead used partial disinfection and filtration. In that accident, a 29-year-old surfer contracted the amoeba Naegleria Fowleri and died on September 21, 2018. Although this accident had fatal consequences, when water quality tests were carried out on September 27, 2018, the amoeba was not found in the surf lake, but was found in nearby bodies of water. Therefore, it is very important to emphasize that a simple water quality test is generally not adequate to prevent these types of

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60465031 8 accidents, because these microorganisms can be present in specific sectors of water bodies and/or located in corners.

As an indication of the magnitude of the problem, there have been more than 140 recorded cases of Naegleria Fowleri amoeba in the United States, with a mortality rate of 97%.

Naegleria Fowleri enters the body through the nose, from where it travels to the central nervous system and generates acute brain inflammation and ultimately results in primary meningoencephalitis (PAM), a brain infection that causes destruction of brain tissue. For this reason, it is sometimes called "brain-eating famiba." Meningoencephalitis has an incubation period of two to eight days and, in almost all cases, results in the death of the infected patient.

Acanthoamoebas, on the other hand, enter the human body through the eyes or skin cuts, moving to the central nervous system and with an incubation period of only a few days. In the latter case, most cases end in fatal outcome.

Amoebas and acanthoamoebas are particularly dangerous when present in bodies of water with strong currents or constant water movement that generates resuspension of sediment accumulated on the lower surface of the bodies of water. Resuspension increases the chances of bacteria reaching the noses and eyes of swimmers.

Monitoring amoebae by water quality analysis is extremely complex and requires specific knowledge. Moreover, it is not enough to take a few water samples at different locations in the bodies of water, because such an analysis would not allow to conclude the same results for other locations as mentioned above. These amoebae can be present in certain locations of the bodies of water, hidden in corners or in the sediments of the bottom. Therefore, the detection of these amoebae requires training, specific analysis and controls - all of which illustrate the need for a system and method to properly treat recreational swimming lakes to avoid or minimise these risks.

Therefore, there is currently no process or system that ensures complete health safety in conventional swimming pools or in large bodies of water.

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60465031 9 partially treated systems that are used for recreational purposes. Conventional systems, even for swimming pools, would require very high levels of disinfectants that, in addition to being extremely expensive, can create a toxic environment and unsafe conditions for bathers and bystanders. Furthermore, it has been shown that even when all standards generally considered safe in a swimming pool are met, RWIs can still occur.

c. Disinfection index

The models and requirements by which swimming pools or larger bodies of water are treated and maintained are conventional swimming pool requirements and bacteriological standards of the USEPA, among others. However, these standards may sometimes not be sufficient to ensure that there will be no health risks due to the presence of microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites among others in the water.

One way to apply a proper disinfection to inactivate different microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites, among others, is the use of findice CT . This index results from a specific concentration of a disinfectant "c" and the time "T" during which the disinfectant is in contact with water at such a specific concentration in order to obtain a proper disinfection. The CT index is therefore determined by multiplying the two values, as can be seen in the following equation:

CT = Concentration of disinfectant ]

Different CT values ​​allow the inactivation of different microorganisms, parasites and protozoa, depending on the type of disinfectant used, the temperature and pH of the water and the level of inactivation required. The following Table 1 illustrates the CT values ​​for the inactivation of microorganisms.

TABLE 1

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6046531

<td></td><td>Disinfectant</td><td>Inactivation</td><td>Temperature</td><td>Value 1أ)</td>

<td>Giardia Cysts</td><td>Ozone</td><td>1 log</td><td> ١)109</td><td> 0,48 (6&lt;1211 &lt;9)</td>

<td>Giardia Cysts</td><td>Ozone</td><td>1 log</td><td> ١)9 25</td><td>0.16 (6 &lt;pH &lt;9)</td>

<td>Giardia Cysts</td><td>Chlorine</td><td>1 log</td><td> ١)109</td><td>112(forpH = 7)</td>

<td>Giardia Cysts</td><td>Chlorine</td><td>1 log</td><td> ١)109</td><td>162(forpH = 8)</td>

<td>Cryptosporidium</td><td>Chlorine</td><td>3 logs</td><td> ١)9 25</td><td>15,300 (pH &lt;7.5)</td>

<td>Naegleria Fowleri (trophozoites)</td><td>Chlorine</td><td>3 logs</td><td> ١)9 25</td><td>9 (for 7.5)</td>

<td>Naegleria Fowleri (Trophozoites)</td><td>Chlorine</td><td>3 logs</td><td> ١)9 25</td><td>23 (for pH 9)</td>

<td>Naegleria Fowleri (Cysts)</td><td>Chlorine</td><td>3 logs</td><td> ١)9 25</td><td>42 (for pH 7.5)</td>

<td>Naegleria Fowleri (Cysts)</td><td>Chlorine</td><td>3 logs</td><td> ١)9 25</td><td>50 (for pH 9)</td>

Inactivation is measured as 1 log, 2 log, 3 log, or 4 log, as shown in the following Table 2:

TABLE 2

<td>1 log</td><td>90% inactivation</td>

<td>2 logs</td><td>99% inactivation</td>

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<td>3 log</td><td>99.9% inactivation</td>

<td>4 logs</td><td>99.99% inactivation</td>

In general, bacteria are easily inactivated, while microorganisms such as Giardia intestinalis and Cryptosporidium among others are very difficult to inactivate. For example, 1-log inactivation of Giardia cysts at a temperature of 10 °C and pH 7 requires a CT value of 112. This means that the following disinfection alternatives can be used:

-A concentration c of 1 ppm can be used for a time T of 112 minutes, obtaining a (11 of 112

CT = 1 mX 112[min] = 112 [آ%min]

- A concentration c of 2 ppm can be used for a time T of 56 minutes, obtaining a (11 of 112

CT = 2 [٢ت] X 56 [min] = 112 [لآ min]

Thus, in the above example, it will be appreciated that to obtain the same value of CT, one obtains the higher concentration c in a lower time demand T.

Proper disinfection must be achieved in recreational water bodies to provide safe sanitary conditions for direct contact purposes. Although some microorganisms are easily inactivated by conventional pool disinfection levels, there are microorganisms that are resistant to conventional disinfection and filtration methods and therefore require other types of treatment to provide a safe water body.

Therefore, there is a need for a water treatment system and method that can minimize the risk of contamination in large bodies of water by microorganisms that are commonly found in recreational waters, such as bacteria,

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60465031 12 protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites, among others, solving the inefficiencies of current methods and systems in an innovative and low-cost way.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a system and method for treating a large body of water to make the water suitable for recreational purposes.

The methods and systems according to the principles of the invention provide a low cost sanitation system and method that minimizes the risks of contamination by microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites, among others. Such a system and method can be used in swimming lakes and large artificial bodies of water, among others.

In both cases, the principles of the invention consist in designating two different treatment zones in the large body of water. The two zones have different configurations and treatment methods. The first zone is a sedimentation zone. This zone is mainly used to provide treatment and decantation of microorganisms and/or contaminants to inactivate and/or remove them from the body of water. The second zone is a dissipation zone. This area is the place where the main recreational nautical activities in direct contact are planned. In this dissipation area, a water flow is established which, together with the natural currents produced by the winds and / or the differences in water temperature, allows to generate a water dissipation pattern of the water volume in the dissipation area 2 in the sedimentation area]. In addition, a continuous disinfection of the water volume in the dissipation area is ensured.

Therefore, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a low cost and sanitary efficient method for providing large bodies of water for direct contact recreational purposes, of at least 3000 m 2 , the method comprising: designating a sedimentation zone 1 and a dissipation zone 2 in the large body of water, applying a disinfection method based on a CT index and applying an effective amount of a flocculant composition in sedimentation zone 1 that facilitates the settling of various microorganisms and/or contaminants present in sedimentation zone 1, and minimally disturbing the volume of water in the

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60465031 13 sedimentation, such that disruption of the sedimentation process is minimized; maintaining a permanent chlorine residual in the volume of water in the dissipation zone 2 by adding an effective amount of a chlorine disinfectant to the dissipation zone 2 such that at least a free chlorine level of 0.5 mg/L is maintained in the volume of water contained in the dissipation zone 2; injecting water into the dissipation zone by means of one or more inlet nozzles which, together with the natural currents produced by the winds and/or the differences in water temperature, make it possible to generate a water dissipation pattern from the volume of water inside the dissipation zone 2 into the sedimentation zone 1, and wherein the dissipation zone 2 is configured and arranged to allow a contamination reduction index (CRI) of up to 30 minutes.

According to other aspects according to the method described in the preceding paragraph, the sedimentation zone 1 and the dissipation zone 2 are not separated by a physical barrier and the ratio between the volume of water in the dissipation zone and the volume of water in the sedimentation zone is 1:2 to 1:40. The method further comprises designing the sedimentation zone such that, on a daily average, no more than 20% of the total number of bathers using the large body of water are present in the sedimentation zone 1, and wherein the sedimentation zone 1 is primarily intended for non-direct secondary recreational contact purposes; further comprising designing the dissipation zone for direct contact purposes such as swimming; and/or further comprising designing the dissipation zone such that on a daily average, 80% or more of the swimmers using the large body of water are present in the dissipation zone 2.

It will be noted that large bodies of water with which the principles of the present invention may be used include existing bodies of water (such as swimming lakes) or bodies of water that are constructed.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for providing a large body of water suitable for recreational purposes in direct contact, the large body of water of the type covering at least 3,000 m², and having a periphery 12 and a bottom, comprising: a sedimentation zone 1 located in a portion of the large body of water 3 and along a portion of the periphery 12; a chemical dosing system 19 in the sedimentation zone arranged and configured to apply: i) disinfectant agents into the volume

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60465031 14 of water inside the sedimentation zone to reach a CT index of at least 42 every 72 hours, where c is defined as the concentration and T is defined as the minimum contact time, and ii) flocculating agents in the sedimentation zone which facilitate the settling process of the different microorganisms, parasites and protozoa present in the water body and inactivated by the CT cycle; a dissipation zone located in a portion of the large body of water and along a portion of the periphery 12; a chemical dosing system 29 in the dissipation zone configured to maintain a permanent chlorine residual in the volume of water in the water dissipation zone, wherein at least a free chlorine level of 0.5 mg/L is maintained in the volume of water located within the dissipation zone; and one or more inlet nozzles 26 throughout the dissipation zone 2 within the dissipation zone, arranged and configured to inject water into the dissipation zone, which, together with natural currents produced by winds and/or water temperature differences, allow to generate a water dissipation model of the water volume in dissipation zone 2 in sedimentation zone 1 and minimally disturb the water volume in the sedimentation zone, whereby the disturbance of the sedimentation process is minimized.

The advantages and features which characterize the inventions are pointed out with particularity in the claims appended and forming part thereof. For a better understanding of the inventions, however, reference should be made to the drawings forming part thereof and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which preferred embodiments of the inventions are illustrated and described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawings, in which like numbers represent like parts in different views:

Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a large body of water comprising two separate zones, a sedimentation zone 1 and a dissipation zone 2.

Figure 2 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a large body of water comprising a sedimentation zone 1 and two dissipation zones 2.

Figure 3 illustrates an enlarged portion of the water body of Figure 1 showing a sedimentation zone 1 and a dissipation zone 2 of realization.

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60465031 15

Figs. 4A to 4G show an exemplary embodiment of the invention where the method of the invention is illustrated.

Figure 5 schematically illustrates a functional block diagram of the various components that may be used in one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 schematically illustrates a portion of the periphery 12 of a large body of water in an area of ​​the dissipation zone 2.

Figure 7 illustrates a method of making used in connection with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying figures. Although embodiments of the invention may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding steps to the methods described. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the scope of the invention.

The present invention relates to a low cost and sanitary efficient method for providing large bodies of water with two different treatment zones for direct contact recreational purposes.

The low cost and sanitary effective method of the present invention addresses the technical inefficiencies of conventional swimming pool technologies for maintaining safe and sanitary conditions in bodies of water by combining the technical features of a direct contact recreational dissipation zone 2, which has an efficient water dissipation pattern as well as a minimum permanent concentration of a chlorine disinfectant, as well as a sedimentation zone 1 which is primarily intended for non-direct secondary recreational contact purposes, which is not physically separated from the dissipation zone 2 and is configured to inactivate, flocculate and remove hazardous microorganisms previously dissipated from the dissipation zone 2.

As described herein, the combined disinfection methods, effective diffusion patterns and sedimentation capacity of water bodies according to the present invention

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60465031 16 create unprecedented safer environments for aquatic recreation purposes that have not been previously described or applied and that address the inefficiencies of conventional swimming pool technologies, and those of large, partially treated bodies of water, thereby enabling the creation of recreational bodies of water that minimize the risk of infections caused by microorganisms (e.g., such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites, among others), thus solving the inefficiencies of current methods and systems in an innovative and low-cost way.

In the context of the present invention, direct contact recreational activities involve repeated or continuous direct contact of bathers with water, involving a significant risk of water ingestion, such as swimming, water skiing, diving, surfing and wading by children. In contrast, recreational uses with secondary or non-contact contact do not involve direct contact of bathers with water and therefore do not pose a significant risk of water ingestion, such as fishing or water activities.

The method of the present invention is useful for inactivating and/or removing contaminants and/or microorganisms from large bodies of water, where such microorganisms may originate from fair, water sources, external contamination, or more likely from bathers accessing the body of water carrying such contaminants.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a low cost and sanitary effective method of providing large bodies of water suitable for recreational purposes by direct contact, wherein the method is defined, among other things, by:

- designating a sedimentation zone 1 and a dissipation zone 2 in the large body of water, both having different configurations and treatment methods, in which

- sedimentation zone 1 and dissipation zone 2 are located within the same body of water 3, and are not separated by a physical barrier,

- sedimentation zone 1 may have a second purpose (e.g., in addition to functioning as a sedimentation zone), which is an aesthetic purpose and is primarily intended for non-direct secondary recreational contact purposes, and is therefore designed to have a lower bather density than dissipation zone 2,

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60465031 ,7

- dissipation zone 2 is used for direct contact purposes, such as swimming and bathing, and is designed to have a high density of bathers,

- apply a disinfection method based on a CT index in the volume of water in sedimentation zone 1,

- applying an effective amount of a flocculant composition to the sedimentation zone 1 which aids in the settling of various microorganisms and/or contaminants present in the sedimentation zone 1, and wherein water flows and circulation in the sedimentation zone 1 are maintained to allow for proper sedimentation, preferably water flows and circulation in the sedimentation zone 1 are kept to a minimum, whereby the disruption of the sedimentation process is minimised;

- maintaining a permanent residual chlorine in the volume of water in dissipation zone 2 and

- injecting water into the dissipation zone 2 by means of one or more inlet nozzles which, together with the natural currents produced by the winds and/or the differences in water temperature, make it possible to generate a water dissipation pattern from the volume of water inside the dissipation zone 2 into the sedimentation zone 1, and in which the dissipation zone 2 is configured to allow a contamination reduction index (CRI).

More specifically, the present invention also relates to a system for establishing a large body of water 3 suitable for recreational purposes by direct contact, wherein the system comprises:

(a) a sedimentation zone 1 located in a part of the large body of water 3 and along a part of the periphery;

(b) a chemical dosing system along the periphery within the sedimentation zone 1 arranged and configured to apply:

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60465031 IS

(i) disinfecting agents in the water volume in sedimentation zone 1 to achieve a CT index of at least 42 every 72 hours, where c is defined as the concentration and T is defined as the minimum contact time; and (ii) a flocculant composition in sedimentation zone 1 which facilitates the settling process of the various microorganisms, parasites and protozoa that are present in the water body and inactivated by the CT cycle;

(c) a dissipation zone 2 located in a part of the large body of water and along a part of the periphery;

d) one or more inlet nozzles 26 along the periphery within the dissipation zone 2 arranged and configured to inject water into the dissipation zone 2 to generate a diffusion pattern of the volume of water within the dissipation zone,

(e) a chemical dosing system 29 in the dissipation zone 2 configured to maintain a permanent chlorine residual in the volume of water within the dissipation zone water, wherein at least a free chlorine level of 0.5 mg/L is maintained in the volume of water located within the dissipation zone.

The large bodies of water with which the principles of the present invention may be practiced may be natural or artificial bodies of water and may have an area of ​​at least 3000 m 2 , more preferably at least 8000 m 2 and even more preferably at least 12000 m² and preferably at least 24,000 m2.

Referring to Figure 1, two different zones are designated within the large body of water 3, a first sedimentation zone 1 and a second dissipation zone 2 both having different configurations, disinfection methods, cleaning requirements and dissipation conditions.

The two zones are located within the same large body of water 3 , and are not separated by a physical barrier, the dissipation zone 2 being open into the sedimentation zone 1 . The two zones may be delimited by the use of a delimitation means or device 4. Thus, in one embodiment of the invention, a delimitation means 4 separates the sedimentation zone 1 and the dissipation zone 2 . The means

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60465031 19 of delimitation 4 according to the invention can be selected from the group comprising a visual delimitation, aerial flags, a series of buoys, a waterline, a delimitation line, a change in slope, different depths and their combinations, among others. In other embodiments, the approximate location of the delimiting means may be established by other means such as in a brochure, signage or rule designations, a manual, a user guide, and by written and/or verbal instructions, among others.

According to the invention, the ratio between the volume contained in the dissipation zone 2 and the volume contained in the sedimentation zone 1 is preferably 1:2, more preferably 1:10, even more preferably 1:30 and very particularly 1:40.

Sedimentation zone 1 is configured to provide treatment and decantation of contaminants and/or microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites, among others, in order to inactivate them and eliminate them from the water body 3. Sedimentation zone 1 includes specific features that allow efficient sedimentation of suspended contaminants and microorganisms and avoid their resuspension, including: (a) it has a defined depth, (b) it is designed to have a limited density of bathers, (c) it includes a disinfection treatment based on a CT index, (d) it includes the application of flocculants to aid in the settling of microorganisms and/or contaminants, and (e) it has a defined surface area that ensures the maintenance of a calm water plane to minimize water flows and water circulation that may interfere with the settling process. The above features are described in detail below:

a) A defined depth: Sedimentation zone 1 is designed so that its depth allows effective decantation of microorganisms. In one embodiment of the invention, the depth of the sedimentation zone 1 is at least 1.8 meters at its deepest point, which helps prevent bathers from crossing the lower surface of the sedimentation zone which could cause the resuspension of microorganisms and impurities, which have already settled at the bottom of the sedimentation zone 1. In other embodiments of the invention, the depth of the sedimentation zone 1 is at least 2 meters at its deepest point, and preferably at least 2.2 meters at its deepest point.

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60465031 20

(b) Limited bather density: The sedimentation zone is primarily intended for non-direct secondary recreational contact purposes; and because of its depth, potential bathers who want to access and remain in this area would tend to return to dissipation zone 2 which is suitable for direct contact recreational purposes, and therefore sedimentation zone 1 is designed for this bather density, in such a sedimentation zone is limited to less than 20% of the total bathers present in the large body of water 3 and more preferably to less than 10% of the total bathers present in the large body of water 3 . These 20% and 10% of the total number of bathers are calculated as a daily average, taking into account the total number of bathers entering the body of water 3 .

A disinfection treatment based on a CT index: Sedimentation zone 1 is treated on the basis of a CT index, in which the CT can be determined as being the one suitable for inactivating the most dangerous microorganisms such as Naegleria Fowleri, Giardia OR Cryptosporidium, among others. A disinfection treatment based on a CT index requires that sedimentation zone 1 be treated by adding disinfectant agents to achieve a specific concentration “c” for a minimum contact time of “T” in the entire water volume of sedimentation zone 1. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a disinfection process is carried out such that disinfecting agents are applied to the volume of water contained in the sedimentation zone 1 to achieve a CT index of at least 42 every 72 hours, as this has been shown to be a CT index which provides safe and hygienic conditions to inactivate not only Naegleria Fowleri but other dangerous microorganisms present in recreational water bodies.

It is important to emphasize that some microorganisms, such as Naegleria Fowleri, do not survive in seawater OR salt water. However, if the water body 3 according to the present invention contains seawater, salt water OR a combination thereof, the sedimentation zone 1 is in any case configured so that disinfecting agents are applied to achieve an index (1أ) of at least 42 every 72 hours. In other embodiments of the invention, disinfecting agents are applied to achieve a CT index according to any of those indices listed in Table 1, OR as otherwise defined accordingly, within a time period of at least 24 hours, preferably at least 48 hours, and even more preferably up to 72 hours.

d) Application of flocculants: Sedimentation zone 1 is treated with a flocculant composition which facilitates the process of settling contaminants and/OR microorganisms present in the water body and which may have been inactivated during the CT cycles.

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60465031 21

In one embodiment of the invention, the flocculating composition comprises one or more flocculating agents selected from the group comprising organic and inorganic flocculants. Preferably, the flocculating agents are selected from inorganic flocculants comprising synthetic polymers, quaternary ammonium cationic polymers, polycationic polymers, aluminum salts, calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide and mixtures thereof.

In one embodiment of the invention, the flocculating agents are preferably selected from the group comprising a cationic or anionic polymer flocculant and are preferably added to the sedimentation zone 1 at least once every 7 days at a rate of 0.03 g to 3.0 g per m 3 of the volume of water in the sedimentation zone 1.

(e) A large surface area: The sedimentation zone 1 has a large surface area of ​​at least 1500 m2, preferably at least 6000 m2 and even more preferably at least 10 000 m2, which makes it possible to minimize the effect of water flow rates and water circulation which can affect the resuspension of contaminants deposited from the lower surface of the sedimentation zone 1.

The dissipation zone 2 according to the present invention is suitable for direct contact recreational purposes and is preferably located near the periphery 12 of the body of water 3 and is open to the sedimentation zone 1. The dissipation zone 2 is the area designated to have a high density of bathers. Dissipation zone 2 has specific characteristics and conditions to ensure continuous disinfection of the water volume within dissipation zone 2 and to enable efficient dissipation of water into sedimentation zone 1. The dissipation zone is therefore defined by the following three main technical characteristics:

(a) Continuous disinfection: A permanent residual chlorine is maintained in the dissipation zone 2, where this zone is disinfected so that at least 0.5 mg/L of free chlorine is maintained in the volume of water contained in the dissipation zone. According to the main embodiment of the invention, chlorine is the preferred disinfectant agent to be applied in the dissipation zone, however, other types of disinfectants that achieve suitable disinfection parameters can also be used, such as bromine, ozone, its derivatives and their mixtures.

b) A specific depth and geometry: The dissipation zone 2 is designed to have a design and depth suitable for bathers accessing and entering the dissipation zone. In one embodiment of the invention, the dissipation zone has a downward slope and a depth of 1.4 meters at its deepest point. Preferably, the dissipation zone comprises a downward slope from the periphery 12 to the lower surface at a

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60465031 22 angle a which results in a slope of up to 15% to achieve a safe entry into the large body of water, and so that it is suitable for bathers, to remain in such an area. In an alternative embodiment, the dissipation zone 2 is designed to have a depth of 1.6 meters at its deepest point, and more preferably 1.8 meters at its deepest point.

c) One or more inlet nozzles: The dissipation zone 2 comprises one or more inlet nozzles 26 located within this zone in order to provide a flow of water into the dissipation zone 2, this with the natural influence of water currents produced by winds and/or horizontal and vertical temperature differences of the water in the body of water, will cause the movement of water and the renewal of such a volume of water contained in the dissipation zone 2 which is open to the sedimentation zone 1. In one embodiment of the invention, the location, design and configuration of the inlet nozzle(s) 26 may be varied to obtain different types of water renewal patterns in the dissipation zone. The inlet nozzle(s) 26 may be located along any section of the dissipation zone, such as its periphery and/or center. In a particular embodiment, the inlet nozzle(s) 26 may be configured to add an effective amount n of a chlorine disinfectant to the dissipation zone to maintain a free chlorine concentration of at least 0.5 mg/L, the free chlorine level is described in (a).

The dissipation zone 2 is the zone designated to have a high density of bathers, where at least 80% and more preferably at least 90% of the total number of bathers within the large body of water 3 is present in the dissipation zone 2 with a maximum density of 1 bather per 2 m2, preferably a maximum density of 1 bather per 4 m2, preferably a maximum density of 1 bather per 6 m²and preferably a maximum density of 1 bather per 8m². These 80% and 90% are calculated as a daily average, taking into account the total number of bathers entering the body of water 3 , and where at least 80% and more preferably 90% of these bathers are located in the dissipation zone 2 .

The combination of the above zone elements concerning depth, geometry and one or more inlet nozzles 26 together with the natural influence of water currents produced by winds and/or horizontal and vertical water temperature differences in the body of water, will cause movement of the water and dissipation of the volume of water contained in the dissipation zone 2 into the sedimentation zone 1, in addition to ensuring continuous disinfection within said dissipation zone 2 as described in (a).

It has surprisingly been discovered that the low cost and sanitary efficient method of the present invention overcomes the technical inefficiencies of conventional swimming pool technologies for

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60465031 23 maintaining safe and hygienic conditions in large bodies of water by combining the technical characteristics of a dissipation zone 2 for direct contact recreation, for specific purposes, having a particular and effective water dissipation pattern as well as a permanent minimum quantity of a disinfectant, which, in the event of a contamination event, can safely and timely inactivate and dissipate hazardous microorganisms to a sedimentation zone 1 which is primarily intended for non-direct recreational contact purposes, wherein said sedimentation zone 1 is not physically separated from the dissipation zone 2 and which is configured to inactivate the microorganisms by means of a CT disinfection method, as well as to flocculate and remove them efficiently and safely at low costs.

There is currently no method or system for overcoming the technical inefficiencies of conventional swimming pools in an effective and inexpensive manner for large bodies of water such as those of the present invention, which combine the effects of an efficient water dissipation model and a minimum disinfection standard, in the area intended for direct contact recreational purposes, with a sedimentation zone 1 configured to inactivate, flocculate and remove previously dissipated contaminants and/or hazardous microorganisms from a dissipation area. Although some larger bodies of water, such as natural swimming lakes are able to somewhat recreate a dissipation pattern, they do not possess the technical characteristics of the present invention, namely: a dissipation zone 2 having a minimum permanent concentration of a disinfectant and a particular and effective dissipation model as well as a sedimentation zone 1 which combines the application of a CT disinfection method with the application of flocculating agents which allow appropriate inactivation and elimination of contaminants and/or microorganisms to maintain a sanitary and safe area for recreational purposes.

Therefore, the combined disinfection methods, efficient diffusion pattern and sedimentation capacity of the water bodies according to the present invention create unprecedented safe environments for aquatic recreation purposes that have not been previously described or applied and that solve the inefficiencies of conventional swimming pool technologies and those of large, partially treated water bodies, thus enabling the creation of recreational water bodies that minimize the risk of infections caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites, among others, thus solving the inefficiencies of current methods and systems in an innovative and low-cost manner.

As previously mentioned, the dissipation zone 2 is configured to create an efficient diffusion pattern of the volume within the dissipation zone 2 due to the combined effect of the inlet nozzle(s) 26 injecting a flow of water into this zone with the influence

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60465031 24 natural, water currents produced by winds and/or horizontal and vertical water temperature differences of the water mass, which creates a water flow and an efficient diffusion pattern in dissipation zone 2 that forces this volume of water to leave dissipation zone 2 and cross towards sedimentation zone 1. The circulation created by the inlet nozzle(s) 26 and the natural influence of water currents produced by winds and/or horizontal and vertical water temperature differences in the body of water, contribute to generating a dissipation rate in this dissipation zone 2, as the water flows entering this zone push the volume of water to leave the dissipation zone 2 and reach the sedimentation zone 1. Therefore, there is a dissipation scheme that allows the volume of water contained in the dissipation zone 2 to be renewed depending on the configuration and capacity of the inlet nozzle(s) 26, the natural influence of water currents produced by winds and/or the horizontal and vertical distribution of water temperature in the body of water, as well as the presence of an open hydraulic connection to the sedimentation zone.

In some embodiments of the invention, the water body may be subject to stronger winds which may influence the dissipation pattern in the dissipation zone. In such a case, the circulation created by the inlet nozzle(s) in the dissipation zone may be adjusted as needed to maintain an appropriate dissipation pattern. For example, where winds positively influence the dissipation pattern in the dissipation zone, the water flow rate from the inlet nozzle(s) may be minimized or eliminated entirely if the dissipation pattern created by the winds is sufficient to generate the necessary dissipation of water volume from the dissipation zone to the sedimentation zone. On the other hand, when winds adversely influence the dissipation pattern in the dissipation zone, the water flow rate of the inlet nozzle(s) can be adjusted to generate the necessary dissipation of water volume from the dissipation zone to the sedimentation zone.

This is a distinct advantage over conventional swimming pools, since swimming pools do not have a separate dissipation zone 2 to create a dissipation pattern, and thus in the method of the present invention by combining a permanent residual concentration of disinfectant and an effective dissipation pattern in the dissipation zone 2, Such an area allows to withstand massive use of bathers without compromising the sanitary quality of this area because in the event of contamination, microorganisms can be dissipated more efficiently and safely compared to the conventional swimming pool.

By having an efficient dissipation model, when a contamination event occurs, for example, contamination brought by new bathers with microorganisms

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60465031 25 infectious or by other means, said contamination can be dissipated from the dissipation zone 2 into the sedimentation zone 1 for its inactivation and/or removal. In the context of the invention, a contamination event is understood to mean any event in which organic or inorganic substances presenting a risk to the health of bathers or microorganisms are brought into the body of water.

The efficient dissipation scheme of the present invention is unlike conventional swimming pools, where any contamination brought in by new infected bathers or by an infectious event may remain in the same volume of confined water for hours or even longer before being removed or properly inactivated, causing a potential risk to other bathers. As mentioned earlier, some microorganisms are very resistant to conventional pool filtration and disinfection methods, and can therefore survive for many hours or even days in the pool water volume before being eliminated.

It is important to mention that although the method and system of the present invention do not require filtering the entire volume of water at conventional pool flow rates (i.e., one to six times per day), the use of conventional filtration systems may be used as a supplemental treatment to the water body. Such use may be due to local regulatory requirements or owner/developer decisions. The use of a conventional water mass filtration system is compatible with the method and system of the present invention, however, the water flows in the sedimentation zone must allow for proper sedimentation of the particles. However, such use of a conventional filtration system as additional treatment of the water body may involve higher construction and operating costs and can therefore be implemented in water bodies with a volume preferably up to 50,000 m3.

Additionally, while it is not necessary to maintain a permanent free chlorine level in the sedimentation zone, such levels may be required by local regulations or by owner decisions, which are not inconsistent with the method and system of the present invention.

The permanent chlorine level in dissipation zone 2 can be achieved by the use of chlorine tablets, by applying diluted chlorine through the nozzle(s)

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60465031 26 inlet 26 located in dissipation zone 2, or by manually adding chlorine to this zone in an amount effective to maintain at least 0.5 mg/L of free chlorine.

In one embodiment of the invention, water injected into the dissipation zone 2 through the inlet nozzle(s) 26 is treated with ultraviolet (UV).

In one embodiment of the invention, the body of water comprises a plurality of distinct dissipation zones 2, preferably located along the periphery 12 of the body of water 3 and open to the sedimentation zone 1, wherein the dissipation zones 2 are used for swimming, bathing, and other direct contact recreational purposes, whereas sedimentation zone 1 has an aesthetic purpose and is primarily intended for non-direct secondary recreational contact purposes.

For sedimentation zone 1, daily cleaning of the bottom surface to remove settled particles and fallen debris is not essential, as such an area may have a more natural appearance such as natural lakes and lagoons where the bottom surface may have a darker tone than the bottom in dissipation zone 2. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lower surface of the sedimentation zone 1 is cleaned at least once every 7 days. However, other periods may be used. In one embodiment of the invention, a lower surface cleaning device is provided for cleaning a lower surface.

Dissipation zone 2 requires periodic cleaning of the lower surface in order to keep the lower surface of these areas free of particles that may generate an aesthetic, safety or health impact in the water. In addition, such an area must be periodically cleaned in order to avoid any resuspension of the deposited microorganisms. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lower surface of the dissipation zone 2 is cleaned at least once every 72 hours. However, other periods may be used.

In one embodiment of the invention, the sedimentation zone 1 is limited to an even lower density of bathers of less than 10% of the total bathers present in the large body of water 3. In other preferred embodiments, the sedimentation zone 1 does not allow the presence of bathers for direct contact recreational purposes and is

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60465031 27 configured to allow only the practice of aquatic sports for secondary contact purposes.

The ratio between the volume contained in the dissipation zone 2 and the volume contained in the sedimentation zone 1 is preferably 1:2, more preferably 1:10, even more preferably 1:30 and most preferably 1:40, wherein such a relationship is calculated as the sum of all the volumes of water contained in the dissipation zones 2, divided by the volume of water in the sedimentation zone 1.

In one embodiment of the invention, water from the sedimentation zone 1 and which has already been treated can be extracted from the sedimentation zone 1 and sent to the dissipation zone 2. This water can be partially or totally mixed with make-up water.

In addition to minimizing the risk of microorganism growth, the present invention also removes particles and contaminants that are likely to flocculate. In one embodiment of the invention, the flocculating agents may be selected from the group consisting of organic and inorganic flocculants. Preferably, the flocculating agents are chosen from inorganic flocculants comprising synthetic polymers, cationic quaternary ammonium polymers, polycationic polymers, aluminum salts, calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the flocculants added to the sedimentation zone 1 are selected from the group comprising a cationic or anionic polymer flocculant and mixtures thereof and are preferably added to the sedimentation zone 1 at least once every 7 days at a rate of 0.03 g to 3.0 g per m3 of water volume of the sedimentation zone 1.

Turning now to Figure 5, a functional block diagram illustrating the various components that may be used in connection with one embodiment of the present invention is shown. The large body of water is shown at designation 3. It will be appreciated that, although the shape of the body of water in Figure 5 is shown with a four-sided shape, the shape is for illustration purposes only. Other embodiments are illustrated in Figs. 1-3. The sedimentation zone 1 and the dissipation zone 2 are shown as designated portions of the large body of water 3. The boundary of the delimiting means 4 , which is not a physical barrier, is shown at the meeting point

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60465031 28

OR at the intersection of sedimentation zone 1 and dissipation zone 2. Periphery 12 extends around the edge of large body of water 3.

Inlet water to pump 25 is supplied from dissipation zone 2, treated water from sedimentation zone 1 and any required or desired makeup water from block 27. The amount of water from the various locations can be adjusted based on current/flow restoration in large body of water 3 and evaporation, among other factors. The pump 25 supplies water to the inlet nozzle(s) 26, which, together with the natural influence of water currents produced by winds and/or horizontal and vertical water temperature differences of the body of water, establish the current or flow rate (indicated by the plurality of arrows 14) from the dissipation zone 2 to the sedimentation zone 1. The chemical dosing system 29 supplies chemicals to the pump 25 and optionally supplies chemicals directly to the dissipation zone 2.

The chemical dosing system 19 including one or more inlet nozzles supplies the necessary chemicals to the sedimentation zone 1. For example, the chemical dosing system 19 supplies the disinfectant required for the desired CT cycle and the flocculant composition. The chemical dosing system 19 including one or more inlet nozzles may be extended to additional lengths or positions along the periphery 12 for treatment depending on the size of the large body of water 3. Treated water may also be drawn from the sedimentation zone 1 by a pump 30 to the pump 25 or the chemical dosing system 19.

Referring now to Figure 6, a schematic cross-section of a portion of the dissipation zone 2 is illustrated. The periphery 12 is shown as the demarcation between the bank or edge 15 and the water within the large body of water 3. The downward slope from the periphery 12 to the lower surface is preferably at an angle α which results in a slope of up to 15%. This provides an entry into water 16 from shore 15 that is safe and generally comfortable for bathers entering the water.

The contamination reduction index (CRI) is an index calculated on the basis of a standardized protocol developed in the present disclosure to represent the safety and hygiene conditions of a body of water treated according to the method of the invention.

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60465031 29

In the context of the invention, the contamination reduction index (CRI) is an index that determines the time in minutes required to dissipate a sample of an aqueous solution out of a defined water zone. In particular, the contamination reduction index (CRI) indicates the time in minutes counted from the moment a sample of a tinted solution is added to a particular point in a dissipation zone 2 until the tinted solution is dissipated and is not visually detectable in said dissipation zone 2.

The Contamination Reduction Index (CRI) fairly accurately represents the time it will take for an aqueous contaminant introduced by a bather or other means into a dissipation zone 2 to dissipate out of that dissipation zone 2 into the sedimentation zone 1. The CRI is therefore an appropriate and objective standard for assessing the ability of said water zone to dissipate a contaminant within a short period of time in sedimentation zone 1, said contaminant being able to be subsequently inactivated, flocculated and removed from sedimentation zone 1, thus maintaining safety and sanitary conditions in the event of contamination.

The CRI, which counts the time from when the sample of a specific tinted solution is added to dissipation zone 2 until it is not visually detectable in dissipation zone 2, depends on several factors. In the context of the present invention, the CRI of the dissipation zone 2 is influenced mainly by: the presence of an open connection to a sedimentation zone 1, the arrangement of one or more inlet nozzles which inject a flow of water into the dissipation zone 2 and the natural influence of water currents produced by winds and/or horizontal and vertical temperature differences of the water mass.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the dissipation zone 2 is configured to provide a contamination reduction index (CRI) of up to 30 minutes, more preferably up to 25 minutes, more preferably up to 20 minutes, and even more preferably up to 15 minutes, and even more preferably up to 10 minutes.

The CRI can be determined in several ways, either from qualitative and/or quantitative data and analysis.

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60465031 30

In one embodiment, information regarding the time required to complete dissipation of a sample of a tinted solution may be obtained qualitatively by visual inspection, experience-based methods, or estimation projections. In another embodiment, information regarding the time required to complete dissipation of a sample of a tinted solution may be obtained from one or more manual or automatic monitoring devices.

The standardized protocol for determining the Contamination Reduction Index (CRI) according to the present invention comprises re-evaluating the time required for a water zone (a dissipation zone 2) of 144 m3 to dissipate 7L of a tinted aqueous solution comprising 30 g/L of carmine (natural red 4) and 77 g/L of NaCl out of said water zone until the tinted solution is not visually detectable in said water zone. While the test is in progress and to ensure visual detection of the dye solution in dissipation zone 2, the water zone must be free of chemicals that may reduce dye detection, such as chlorine and other disinfecting agents. After the test is completed, the chemicals must be restored to the specifications for dissipation zone 2.

The Contamination Reduction Index (CRI) therefore provides an objective projection of the effective water dissipation patterns of the dissipation zone 2 according to the present invention, which combined with a permanent minimum disinfectant concentration as well as an open connection to a sedimentation zone 1 which is configured to inactivate, flocculate and eliminate hazardous microorganisms, among other factors, provides safe and hygienic conditions for large bodies of water for direct contact recreational purposes.

The combined disinfection methods, efficient diffusion pattern and sedimentation capacity of the water bodies of the present invention create unprecedented safe environments for aquatic recreation purposes that have not been previously described or applied and that overcome the inefficiencies of conventional swimming pool technologies and those of large water body treaties, thus enabling the creation of recreational water bodies that minimize the risk of infections caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites, among others, thus solving the inefficiencies of current methods and systems in an innovative and low-cost way.

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60465031 31

In addition to the foregoing, the method of the present invention also provides cost savings over conventional swimming pool systems and methods, where, for example, a conventional 2 hectare swimming pool would require an annual operating cost of up to US$1.9 million considering chemicals, usage and electricity usage, whereas the method of the present invention would bring an annual operating cost to less than US$140,000 (also considering chemical and energy costs) up to 90% reduction in annual maintenance costs.

Furthermore, the method of the present invention makes it possible to minimize the risk of contamination by microorganisms that current technologies are not capable of treating. As mentioned earlier, current swimming pool technologies or partial treatment technologies of artificial water bodies have not been able to effectively provide a high health effect and have not been able to inactivate and/or eliminate microorganisms that cause recreational water diseases or other infections that could even lead to fatal outcomes. On the other hand, the method of the present invention, in addition to having low investment and operating costs, allows to inactivate and/or eliminate microorganisms from recreational water bodies in an innovative way, generating a new concept of low-cost water sanitation.

By using the method of the present invention, optimum decantation and hygiene conditions are obtained, where the sedimentation zone 1 is designed to effectively decant the microorganisms contained in such a sedimentation zone 1 volume of water, and where the dissipation zone 2 makes it possible to maintain safe and hygienic conditions, for a high density of bathers at low cost.

Referring to Figure 7, there is provided an overview of the steps designated at 700 in one embodiment according to the principles of the invention. Furthermore, the steps illustrated in Figure 7 do not require that the steps be performed in the indicated fordre.

First of all, at step 701, a sedimentation zone 1 and a dissipation zone 2 are designated within the same large body of water 3. The two zones are not separated by a physical barrier and the ratio between the volume of water contained in the dissipation zone 2 and the volume contained in the sedimentation zone 1 is between 1:2 and 1:40. In addition to functioning for disinfection and sedimentation, sedimentation zone 1 also has an aesthetic purpose and is mainly used for practice

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60465031 32 of water sports for secondary contact purposes. It is therefore designed to have a bather density lower than dissipation zone 2, in which, on a daily average, no more than 20% of the total number of bathers in the large body of water 3 are present in sedimentation zone 1. Dissipation zone 2 is used for direct contact purposes, such as swimming and bathing. It is designed to have a high bather density, in which, on a daily average, at least 80% of the total number of bathers in the large body of water 3 are present in the dissipation zone 2 with a maximum density of 1 bather per 2 m2.

Next, at block 702, a CT index based disinfection method is applied to the water volume of sedimentation zone 1. The CT index requires that sedimentation zone 1 be treated by adding disinfectant agents to achieve a specific concentration “C” of the disinfectant for a minimum contact time of “T” in the entire water volume of sedimentation zone 1. The disinfection method is carried out in such a way that the disinfecting agents are applied to the volume of water contained in sedimentation zone 1 to achieve a CT index of at least 42 every 72 hours.

In block 703 an effective amount of a flocculant composition is applied to the sedimentation zone 1. The flocculant aids in the settling of various microorganisms and/or contaminants present in the sedimentation zone 1. As water flows and water circulates through the sedimentation zone 1, the zone 1 is preferably maintained at a to allow for good sedimentation.

In block 704, a permanent chlorine residual is maintained in the volume of water in the dissipation zone 2 by adding an effective amount of chlorine such that a level of at least 0.5 mg/L of free chlorine is maintained in the volume of water contained in the dissipation zone. 2.

In block 705 water is injected into the dissipation zone by means of one or more inlet nozzles which - together with the natural currents produced by the winds and/or the differences in water temperature - allow to generate a water dissipation pattern of the volume of water inside the dissipation zone 2 in the sedimentation zone 1. The dissipation zone 2 is configured to allow a contamination reduction index (IRC) of up to 30 minutes.

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60465031 33

EXAMPLE I

In order to demonstrate the technical effect of the present invention, the following tests were carried out:

Figure 3 shows a body of water 3 having a sedimentation zone 1 and a dissipation zone 2 according to the present invention, wherein the dissipation zone 2 comprises a nozzle system and has a residual chlorine concentration of about 0.5 mg/L. Figure 2 shows estimated replacement of the delimiting means 4, represented by a dotted line, which is not a physical barrier and also represents an adjacent (but completely independent) swimming pool (7) having conventional swimming pool technology, i.e. not having separation of dissipation zones 2 and sedimentation zones 1 according to the present invention.

Figure 4A shows that at t = 0.7 L of a red-tinted solution (5) comprising 30 g/L of a natural red dye 4 and 77 g/L of NaCl were directly added to a location in the dissipation zone 2 of the water body 3 in order to determine the CRI of said zone and to emulate, for example, the behavior of aqueous fecal contamination or other type of contamination brought into the dissipation zone 2, which is the area mainly used for swimming, swimming and for direct contact recreational purposes. Figure 4A also shows that an equivalent amount of a second red-tinted solution (6) was added to a location inside the adjacent pool (7).

At t = 0, the water nozzles in dissipation zone 2 were activated while the standard pool recirculation systems (7) were operating according to its standard operating parameters.

At = 5 minutes (Figure 4 B), we see that the red-tinted solution dissipates rapidly in sedimentation zone 1 while in pool (7) the presence of the red-tinted solution does not appear to have decreased since t = 0.

At t = 10 minutes and t = 16 minutes (Figures 4 c and 4 D, respectively), the presence of the red-tinted solution (5) was significantly less visible in dissipation zone 2 while pool (7) still exhibited a substantial amount of the red-tinted solution (6).

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60465031 34

At t = 20 minutes and t = 25 minutes (Figure 4 E and 4 F, respectively), the red-dyed solution (6) was still visibly present in the pool (7) while no presence of the red-dyed solution (6) was visibly detected in the dissipation zone 2. Figure 3G shows that at t = 60, the red-dyed solution (6) is visibly present in the pool (7).

Upon finalization of the test, it was determined that sedimentation zone 2 of the example had a CRI of 20 minutes while pool (7) had a CRI of 100 minutes, both indices representing the time in minutes until the absence of the presence of the red-tinted solution was visually detected.

The foregoing makes it possible to predict that in the event of a contamination event (e.g., aqueous fecal contamination or other type of contamination) occurring in a body of water according to the present invention, the dissipation zone 2, as well as the natural influence of water currents produced by winds and/or temperature differences in the body of water, is capable of safely and effectively dissipating said contamination which could include hazardous microorganisms into a sedimentation zone 1 for its subsequent inactivation, flocculation and removal within a short period of time, thereby minimizing the risk of infection of bathers by hazardous microorganisms. Furthermore, the dissipation zone 2 being configured to have a residual concentration of free chlorine of at least 0.5 mg/L, said dissipation zone 2 can withstand massive use by bathers without compromising the sanitary quality of this zone due to the fact that in the event of contamination, Microorganisms can be dissipated more efficiently and safely compared to conventional swimming pools by maintaining both safe and hygienic conditions in dissipation zone 2 which is the area used for direct contact recreational purposes. In the same scenario, when faecal contamination or traces thereof carrying dangerous microorganisms occurs in a conventional swimming pool (7), the contamination would remain for an extended period of time in the water volume, increasing the risk that bathers will be infected by said dangerous microorganisms.

Therefore, it has been shown that the combined disinfection methods, efficient diffusion pattern and sedimentation capacity of the water bodies according to the present invention create unprecedented and safer environments for aquatic recreation purposes compared to swimming pool technologies, thereby enabling the creation of recreational water bodies, which

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60465031 35 minimize the risk of infections caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites, among others, thus solving the inefficiencies of current methods and systems in an innovative and low-cost way.

EXAMPLE II

An artificial lake constructed in Florida, USA, with a total surface area of ​​approximately 7 acres (2.8 hectares) was heavily contaminated during the water filling process due to a nearby sand pile containing organic matter that was blown into the lake. In laboratory tests, dangerous microorganisms, especially Crystosporidium oocysts, were identified in water, which remained present in water even after several weeks of contamination.

The method according to the present invention was applied to the artificial lake.

The artificial lake was designated to include two different zones: an area for direct contact recreational purposes designated as dissipation zone 2 and a second area for secondary contact recreational purposes, including aesthetic purposes and the practice of water sports designated as sedimentation zone 1. The volume flow rate between the dissipation zone and the sedimentation zone was designed to be approximately 1:6 and sedimentation zone 1 included a depth of 2 meters at its deepest point, which allowed efficient settling of microorganisms.

The following parameters were applied to the artificial lake:

- Sodium hypochlorite was added to dissipation zone 2 so as to achieve a permanent residual chlorine concentration of at least 0.5 mg/L of free chlorine.

- Nozzles located at the periphery 12 of the dissipation zone having an average water flow rate of 30 m3 / hour were activated.

- A CT-based disinfection treatment was applied by adding chlorine to sedimentation zone 1 so as to achieve a CT index of 42 during a 72-hour interval in sedimentation zone 1.

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- A composition comprising a cationic polymer flocculant was added to sedimentation zone 1 so as to incorporate 1.5 g/m3 of water volume in 7 days.

- Water flows were kept to a minimum in sedimentation zone 1, minimizing disruption to the sedimentation process.

In applying the method of the present invention, laboratory tests were carried out and no Crystosporidium r oocysts were identified, a result which was confirmed in two subsequent tests as summarized in the following Table 2.

Table 2

<td>Sample location</td><td>Appearance</td><td>Smell</td><td>pH</td><td>Crystoporodium oocyst.es</td>

<td>Sedimentation zone 1</td><td>Clear</td><td>No</td><td> 8,28</td><td>Not detected</td>

<td>Dissipation zone 2 dosing line</td><td>Clear</td><td>No</td><td>8:30 a.m.</td><td>Not detected</td>

Furthermore, as shown in the following Table 3, all water samples complied even with more stringent physicochemical and microbiological quality standards such as the Chilean standard NCh 409/1 2005 (drinking water) for water needs.

Table 3

<td colspan="2">Nome NCh 409/1 2006</td><td>Location of the sample</td><td>Location of the sample</td>

<td>Test</td><td>the name</td><td>Sedimentation zone 1</td><td>Dissipation zone 2 dosing line</td>

<td>Turbidity (NTU)</td><td> &lt;20</td><td> 0,8</td><td> 0,5</td>

<td>True Colors (Pt Co)</td><td> &lt;20</td><td> &lt;5</td><td> &lt;5</td>

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<td>Compliant bacteria total NMP / 100mL</td><td>Exempt</td><td> &lt;2</td><td> &lt;2</td>

<td>Escherichia coli NMP / 100mL</td><td>Exempt</td><td> &lt;2</td><td> &lt;2</td>

* &lt;2 = undetectable

This example confirms that the method according to the present invention provides a low-cost and sanitary efficient method for providing large bodies of water with two different treatment zones for recreational purposes by direct contact, thereby minimizing the risk of growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites, among others, thereby solving the inefficiencies of current methods and systems in an innovative and low-cost manner.

The combined disinfection methods, efficient diffusion pattern and sedimentation capacity of the water bodies of the present invention create unprecedented safe environments for aquatic recreation purposes that have not been previously described or applied and that overcome the inefficiencies of conventional swimming pool technologies and those of large water body treaties, thus enabling the creation of recreational water bodies that minimize the risk of infections caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, amoebae, microalgae and parasites, among others, thus solving the inefficiencies of current methods and systems in an innovative and low-cost way.

Although certain embodiments of the invention have been described, other embodiments may exist. Furthermore, any of the described steps or method steps may be modified in any manner, including by rearranging the steps and/or inserting or deleting steps, without departing from the invention. While the specification includes a detailed description and associated drawings, the scope of the invention is indicated by the following claims. Furthermore, although the specification has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, the claims are not limited to the features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are described as illustrative aspects and embodiments of the invention. Various other aspects, embodiments, modifications and equivalents thereof which, after reading the description herein, may be suggested to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention or the scope of the claimed subject matter.