FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions about our Lagoons
Most frequent questions and answers
What is the ALTEP System ?
The ALTEP system is an acronym for Advanced Low Tension Electroporation Process, of which Electroporation is a technique for increasing cell membrane permeability using electricity in an irreversible process proprietary to GAST Clearwater that does not require any chemicals, biologicals, membranes, requires less hydraulic retention time and an increased speed of particle flow. Meaning it can clean more types of water, faster and better than any conventional system currently on the market.
What is Electroporation?
Electroporation is a technique for increasing cell membrane permeability using electricity in an irreversible process proprietary to GAST Clearwater. The concept of electroporation is not new: it has been applied in molecular biology and genetic engineering for decades. However, the laboratory-scale electroporators used heretofore have been built around small (400-microliter) cuvettes, partly because the smallness facilitates the generation of electric fields of sufficient magnitude to cause electroporation.
What is the Construction Cost of a GAST Clearwater Lagoon ?
The GAST Clearwater Lagoons design and technology may be implemented at very low construction costs, which is one of its major benefits in comparison to its competitors. Comparatively, the building expenses of our clearwater lagoons may be ten times less than those of a golf course, and even less than a park of the same size, more so a GAST Clearwater Lagoon has numerous additional Add-On options from our Winter Wonderland Packages, our Surf Wave Packages to our Tropical Hot Bay Packages.
How do I get a GAST Clearwater Lagoon ?
Our artificial beaches or urban lagoons are becoming one of the most sought-after amenities for bespoke Real Estate developers across the globe. Our renowned partner property developers work hand-in-hand with GAST Clearwater to design, build and operate our lagoons. GAST Clearwater offers either a licensing option or a full finance, design, build, operate and maintain option. Offering not only development financing assistance but also full or selective design, build, and operational support.
Does GAST Clearwater Design the Lagoon ?
GAST Clearwater has a full suite of professionals in-house from Architects to Engineers as such GAST Clearwater is able to provide design & consultancy services from the concept to completion. Our services include providing a full design, specifications, engineering, drawings, and much more working hand-in-hand with the project’s professional team to ensure a world-class crystalline GAST Clearwater Lagoon is delivered.
Does GAST Clearwater Build the Lagoon ?
As part of the offered expertise, GAST Clearwater consults from the beginning of the project right through to the end working in tandem with the project’s professional team.
GAST Clearwater will provide the necessary information from design to engineering drawings and specifications so that any local skilled contractor may implement the project without difficulty. The developer pays the local contractor directly for the applicable construction expenditures and/or management of the lagoon, and not GAST Clearwater.
GAST Clearwater takes direct responsibility for the lagoons waterproofing system and the water treatment system to ensure compliance with local, state, and country regulatory & statutory requirements. To assure quality, specialists from GAST Clearwater supervise the building, filling, and implementation of the lagoon throughout the construction process.
In addition, we provide quality-control training for maintenance staff. GAST Clearwater also manages the water treatment and pump room facilities remotely via our Command Centre to further ensure the highest quality standards are maintained.
What is the CAPEX & OPEX Cost of a GAST Clearwater Lagoon ?
The fact that the GAST Clearwater technology can be implemented with very minimal construction and operational expenses is one of the many substantial advantages the technology provides.
In comparison to other attractions and offerings, such as parks, golf courses, and pools of comparable sizes, GAST Clearwater maintenance expenses (including personnel, and energy,) are considerably cheaper.
This groundbreaking technology in particular the GAST Clearwater ALTEP System utilizes no chemicals, no filters, no biologicals, and no membranes, as such the maintenance cost of running a GAST Clearwater is by comparison to conventional pools, golf courses, or other lagoons in a league of its own.
How deep is a GAST Clearwater Lagoon?
A GAST Clearwater Lagoon may be constructed at almost any depth, however, we suggest a minimum depth of 1.83m (6ft). Taking safety into consideration, especially if particular water sports or mechanical water sports equipment will be utilized a deeper lagoon is recommended.
The depth of the lagoon also dictates the intensity of the watercolor thus a deeper lagoon ensures the idealistic GAST Clearwater crystalline blue turquoise color. Depending on the design of the GAST Clearwater lagoon, the lagoon may be shallower if so desired. When it is difficult to construct deeper lagoons, GAST Clearwater has proprietary waterproofing systems that can be colored-coded to ensure aesthetic unity throughout the lagoon, shallow or deep.
How much electricity does a GAST Clearwater Lagoon use ?
As a result of GAST Clearwater’s ALTEP system, it utilizes almost 90% less than a conventional pool or water filtration system. In actual fact our technology allows a GAST Clearwater Lagoon to be power-driven by a solar solution. Our next-generation water treatment technology allows minimal water treatment cycles, with some of our facilities running weeks on end without a single cycle, saving not only considerable energy but also future maintenance.
How much Chlorine or Chemicals does a GAST Clearwater Lagoon use ?
GAST Clearwater’s Advanced Low Tension Electroporation Process or ALTEP for short, is a next-generation water treatment technology that does not use any chlorine, chemicals, biologicals, filters, or membranes. As such a GAST Clearwater Lagoon does not need any chlorine or chemicals EVER. That includes filters that need to be cleaned or replaced, ensuring maximum efficiency at a fraction of the cost.
Does a GAST Clearwater Lagoon use a lot of water ?
A GAST Clearwater Lagoon is usually constructed with a closed-loop system, meaning it is only filled once in its lifetime utilizing any feedstock water from municipal potable water, aquifer, well, borehole, river, brackish, salt water or black water, sewerage water even wastewater. The GAST Clearwater ALTEP system is so advanced it can handle almost 90% of any water type as a water source.
Our Lagoons are designed in such a way as to have minimal evaporation losses and body mass water retention, thus a GAST Clearwater Lagoon loses barely any water.
What water can be used to fill a GAST Clearwater?
As a result of GAST Clearwaters ALTEP System it is able to utilize any feedstock water to fill the lagoon, from potable fresh water, aquifer water, well water, borehole water, river water, brackish water, salt water, grey water, black water, sewerage water or even wastewater can be utilized or a mixture of all of them at the same time.
As many of our customers have experienced, our ALTEP system is able to utilize sewerage or wastewater to fill their lagoons in a sustainable and eco-friendly way ensuring a vital resource like water is utilized as efficiently as possible.
How do you waterproof a GAST Clearwater Lagoon?
GAST Clearwater utilizes various proprietary waterproofing systems for its lagoons. Depending on which Add-Ons are used, such as GAST Clearwater’s Winter Wonderland Package, Tropical Hot Bay, Surf Wave, etc.
GAST Clearwater provides 10-20yr warranties on its waterproofing systems for its lagoons or surf wave solutions from our membranes or our GAST Polyflex & Final Top Terrazzo systems.
What is the average GAST Clearwater Lagoon size?
On average a GAST Clearwater is roughly 5 acres (2 hectares) in size. GAST Clearwater recommends not building a lagoon smaller than 1.2 acres (0.5 hectares) to ensure not only the idealistic crystalline crystal clear water quality, but also to ensure adequate water sports can be enjoyed. Project-specific, smaller lagoons can be built, however, various factors would need to be taken into consideration.
The low cost of a Clearwater lagoon makes it economically viable especially with its advanced water treatment technology the ALPTEP system to scale and anchor numerous real estate developments at a fraction of the cost.
How big is the GAST Clearwater ALTEP Pump Room?
Depending on the size of the lagoon, the feedstock water, including the required throughput, the GAST Clearwater pump room can roughly vary anything from 2600sqft (250m2) to 10 000sqft (1000m2). However, it can be smaller or larger depending on the project and project requirements. The GAST Clearwater ALTEP system is a compact modular system meaning it has a small footprint in comparison to traditional and conventional water treatment, filter, hydraulic or mechanical systems.
What are the Add-Ons for a GAST Clearwater Lagoon?
GAST Clearwater has multiple add-on packages available for its lagoons namely:
WINTER WONDERLAND Package – Situated more north with colder climates, no problem! Your GAST Clearwater™ beach converts to an ice ring with this add-on package.
TROPICAL HOT BAY Package – Our energy-efficient and cost-effective technology allows you to keep the bathing area/beach area warm during the colder months.
SURF WAVE Package – Break the barriers of what is possible with efficient, effective, and sustainable aquatic engineering technologies to provide endless wave types and surf lakes. Barrels for days as we say! With GAST Clearwater and our partners create the perfect surfing experience for beginners to the pros! Scalable with low costs, state-of-the-art wave generation technology including wave menus.
Does GAST Clearwater comply with regulatory, statutory requirements?
Each project worldwide falls within its own unique regulatory or specification requirements. Therefore, GAST Clearwater’s team does extensive deep-dive compliance verifications to ensure all elements of its technologies either meet or exceed the local, state, health, or federal requirements.
GAST Clearwater’s technologies have been designed and developed to meet or exceed the most stringent requirements on the planet, for instance, World Health, and Environmental Protection Agency, to which GAST Clearwater is constantly developing its quality management systems and products to ensure not only to meet the requirements but to be the relevant industry benchmark and top performer.
Is GAST Clearwater associated, certified or a member of any industry related organization?
GAST Clearwater is constantly working hand-in-hand with various associations, certification bodies, specification bodies, accreditations, and regulatory and statutory agencies to further enhance, develop and improve industry standards and quality expectations.
To name a few, GAST Clearwater is Accredited or a Member or Certified by:
IAAPA, Themed Entertainment Association, American Society for Testing Materials, Water Quality Association and many more.
