Growing up on his family’s ancestral land, Vikash Kumar spent most of his childhood swimming in ponds and wells. Unlike today’s swimming pools, those water bodies stayed clean without chemicals, pumps, or frequent maintenance.
“The water was clear, cool, and entirely alive. Nobody maintained it with chemicals. Nobody drains it once a year. Dragonflies skimmed the surface. It needed nothing from anyone to stay clean,” Kumar recalls.
Years later, when he wanted to teach his son how to swim, he found himself surrounded by chlorinated pools that often left the skin dry and the eyes irritated. That experience sparked an idea to recreate the kind of living water he had grown up with.
The result is Biosphere, an Indian startup building natural swimming pools that stay clean through biology instead of chemicals.
Unlike conventional pools, a Biosphere pool has two interconnected sections: a swimming area and a regeneration zone filled with aquatic plants. These plants, along with naturally occurring beneficial bacteria, continuously filter and purify the water, removing the need for chlorine, algaecides or annual draining. As the ecosystem develops over time, the water becomes healthier and more balanced.
Kumar began exploring natural pool systems before the COVID-19 pandemic, travelling to the United States, Germany, Australia, Brazil and South Africa to study different approaches. While European designs inspired him, he realised they were not suited to India’s climate. He eventually collaborated with experts in Brazil to develop systems that could withstand Indian summers and monsoons.
His first experiment was a 1,600 sq. ft. natural pond at his farmhouse in Pollachi. More than four years later, the pond has never been emptied. It is home to several native fish species, while mud crabs have naturally found their way into the ecosystem. Today, Kumar’s son swims in the pond searching for fish and crabs with a pair of goggles.
Kumar also believes that many swimming pools in India fail to maintain ideal chemical levels, which can contribute to skin irritation, allergies and other health concerns. Biosphere aims to offer an alternative where water remains naturally balanced through ecological processes.
Since starting commercial operations in 2024, the startup has completed over a dozen projects across Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It is currently working on new installations in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Goa and Rajasthan.
Every project is personally designed and reviewed by Kumar, while Saranya Vikash, Co-founder of Biosphere, leads the design and landscaping to ensure every pool blends seamlessly into its surroundings. The company’s 32-member team customises each project based on the site’s climate, terrain and locally available materials.
Natural swimming pools are still a relatively new concept in India, but Kumar believes demand will grow as more people experience them.
“Once you use a natural swimming pool, you’re not going to go back to a chemical pool,” he says.
Vikash Kumar M, Founder and Creative Head, Biosphere Nature Pools LLP
