The water entertainment industry in Saudi Arabia is charging into a new phase with Vision 2030. The surge in tourism and family-focused entertainment has paved the way for an increase in innovation in water parks. The innovations like LED lights, AR and VR integration, and interactive elements for children have made breakthroughs in the water park’s history. When considering innovation, it is important to give priority to the water park safety solutions.
Among the water park products, one of the rides that cannot be avoided is a wave pool system. Wave pools are bringing dynamics to water entertainment by giving a controlled and safe environment to people and children who love a good ocean vibe. The safety of wave pools is now being highlighted, and hence, there are a lot of innovations that come with it.
In this article, we discuss the new wave pool safety innovations and features that could be adopted by the mega-parks in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi context: why wave pool safety needs special attention
Before discussing the innovations, we need to clearly understand why it is important to prioritise wave pool safety, especially in Saudi Arabia. There are many factors that come with Saudi Arabia’s water parks.
- High Number of Visitors in Peak Season
The number of visitors in the water park will be mostly too high in the peak season, which will increase safety risks.
- Intense Solar Radiation
With the high heat and humidity, materials get damaged faster than in moderate temperatures.
- Dusty Conditions
Apart from the heat, the dust and sand will also cause damage to the water filtration systems, making the water unsafe.
- Expectation for Premium
The international tourists and locals would expect premium-quality water park equipment.
All these factors will definitely push water park owners to heighten their safety features to ensure that the equipment are of top quality, offering the best experience to visitors.
- Predictive wave control & adaptive hydraulics
The old wave pool systems were not flexible, and they only supported a single type of wave generation. Today, wave generation can be controlled by a computer, and we can increase and decrease the intensity of the waves according to the audience. This could considerably make it safe for the crowded times and kids by decreasing the intensity of the waves, making the wave pools family-friendly.
- Zoned wave programming for mixed audiences
With zoned wave areas, water parks can have thrilling high-intensity waves on one side of the wave pool and soft pulsating calming waves on the other side. This will ensure that all of your visitors are enjoying the wave pool, decreasing the crossing of toddlers to the thrilling wave areas. The operators can easily host different activities safely in these areas.
- Anti-entrapment architecture & compliant drains
While designing large wave pools, it is non-negotiable to ensure entrapment prevention. It is ideal to use innovative drain covers with high flow capacity and redundant suction breaks. To prevent the localised negative pressure, multiple scupper drains could be installed. Ensure the design meets the international safety standards with the assistance of experienced engineers.
- Advanced water quality safety systems
It is important to ensure the water quality of the wave pools, as it is a location where people spend a lot of time. You can ensure this with different features such as:
- High-rate filtration
Filtering the water more often in wave pools to tackle the high sand and dust accumulation.
- Secondary disinfection
A secondary disinfection with UV or ozone will destroy the germs and pathogens that are chlorine-resistant.
- Automated ORP/pH control
With sensors and audible alarms, you can ensure the pH level and oxidation-reduction potential of the water.
These steps will reduce the infection risks that can happen through water, increasing the safety of the water pools.
- Dust-resilient hydraulics & pre-filtration
Locations like Riyadh have high dust and frequent sandstorms, which can affect the quality of water in water parks. Pre-filterations like coarse strainers and bag filters ahead of the pump will protect the filters from sand and dust entering. Ensure that the nozzle and strainers are accessible for frequent cleaning. With a good dust management system, you can considerably reduce downtime and save your filters from damage.
- Integrated lifeguard technologies
This is an innovation that will assist the lifeguards in ensuring the safety of the water pool.
- Computer-vision systems
Monitoring the crowd in the pool will become very efficient with a computerised vision system. It will help to detect any drowning or anyone in distress easily.
- RFID tracking
RFID tracking or wristband systems will help identify children who leave the supervised areas to ensure safety.
- Distributed PA and visual signalling
This will make communication easy with PAs and emergency instructions passed quickly.
Integrated lifeguard technologies are not a replacement for trained lifeguards. This is merely an effective assistance to professionals to ensure safety.
- Shoreline & advanced wave pool design for fast rescue
It is important to consider rescue operations while designing wave pools. The features like graduated entry slopes, clear sighted rescue platforms, and dedicated rescue lines will considerably reduce the rescue time and complication during an emergency. Non-slip floors and thermal-resistant handrails will also be good innovations.
- Structural materials and UV resistance
The high heat and UV radiation will damage the material quickly. It is ideal to have UV and heat-resistant materials and gel coating to elongate the lifespan of the materials, increasing safety.
- Simulation, training & emergency planning
Before the wave pool is opened for the public, there should be hydrodynamic and crowd-flow simulation conducted to anticipate the worst-case scenario. Regular drills and safety training are essential, along with a foolproof emergency plan.
- Remote monitoring, data logging & predictive maintenance
By integrating new IoT technologies into remote monitoring, the early signs of wear and tear could be detected easily. With predictive maintenance, you can eliminate the unexpected breakdowns and errors that can consume your time, energy, and money.
Why partner with Daxin Aqua Parks?
With Daxin Aqua Parks by Texel Groups, you are choosing all the latest technologies and innovations for your wave pool. Our team will help you get the right accessories and water park equipment to ensure the safety of your wave pools. All the materials we provide are of international quality with heat-resistant and UV resistant properties. Our professional experts will guide you through the whole process of making your wave pool safe for your visitors.
Conclusion
Ensuring the safety of the wave pools in a water theme park is crucial, as it is one of the rides that could be enjoyed by multiple people. With the new innovations, you can heighten the safety of your wave pool without breaking a sweat. Daxin Aqua Parks will help you find the right products that suit your venue.
Contact Daxin Aqua Parks today and elevate the safety of your wave pool!
FAQ
- Do dust and sand affect the safety of wave pools?
Yes, the lodging of sand and dust in the water filtering system will decrease the efficiency of filtering, reducing the water quality.
- Can Integrated Lifeguard technology replace trained lifeguards?
No, integrated lifeguards technology is an additional safety feature for the trained life guards. It will help the lifeguards ensure safety more effectively.
- Does Daxin Aqua Parks provide guidance for water pool safety?
Yes, our professionals can help you with proper guidance to increase the safety of your water park, including water pools and wave pools.