In São Martinho do Porto, on the Atlantic coast of Portugal, 100 km north of Lisbon, the Colina do Sol campsite offers visitors and tourists a corner of nature, close to beautiful beaches. As previously announced, Amusement Logic carried out the design, the architectural project and the construction of an indoor spa centre, a water park and a Splash Pad with children’s playground. Thanks to these leisure and tourism elements, the campsite will become a unique entertainment destination in its geographical environment. The works, which began in 2021, are coming to an end today and, therefore, we are in the middle of the process of commissioning its aquatic facilities.
Commissioning of aquatic facilities
The commissioning of aquatic and wellness facilities is always a complex process. Precisely, the company’s experience of more than 25 years in this type of action has allowed it to establish a protocol to carry them out with full guarantees of safety and success. Let’s take as an example the water park and other attractions at Colina do Sol campsite and see what the commissioning of aquatic facilities for leisure and tourism consists of.
Actions prior to the start-up
First of all, before commencing the start-up itself, to ensure that it is carried out without interruptions or setbacks, a series of actions are required, in this case at Colina do Sol campsite. Among the most important are the following:
-Securing the connection of the electrical and water mains and hot water connections, as well as the drains at the points indicated by Amusement Logic in the project.
-Availability of a continuous supply of running water and electricity.
–Filling of the swimming pools and compensation basins to the levels indicated in the project plans.
-Availability of the products necessary for the disinfection treatment of the swimming pool water, as well as the measuring and testing devices.
-Presence on the site of the person(s) responsible for operations and maintenance and of the person(s) responsible for lifeguarding.
-Presence of at least three users of different heights and weights to test the operation of the water slides.
The correct installation of the equipment
On a preliminary basis and with the project plans in hand, we will carry out an initial inspection at Colina do Sol campsite to ensure that all the technical equipment is present, that the construction complies with their specifications and that the safety equipment has been correctly installed. Once the installation and the plans have been checked, we will carry out specific tests by type of installation.
Specific tests for each type of installation
First of all, we will carry out a check of all electrical, mechanical and plumbing installations to ensure that they operate and function correctly. Among the main tests we will carry out are those of the watertightness of the basins and hydraulic networks, the water flow, the operation of the spa treatment equipment and the lighting systems both in technical areas and in underwater situations.
Testing of water slides and water games
After the previous step, it will be the turn of water slides and water games. So, after verifying that the external water networks and the slide channels do not leak, we will test the slides and water games one by one, with recurrent launches of users of different weights and sizes. We then adjust the optimum water flow rates so that the slides and water games offer a safe and enjoyable experience for all types of users. Finally, we verify compliance with local safety rules and regulations.
Testing and checking of other equipment
On the one hand, in the indoor spa, we will start up the treatment showers, the jets and counter-current swimming devices, the jacuzzi, etc. After checking that they are working properly, we will make the necessary adjustments to ensure a healthy and safe experience for visitors and tourists. On the other hand, we will take care of the air conditioning and dehumidification systems of the indoor spa area, as well as the heating system of the water in the adult pool and jacuzzi. Once we have checked that everything is working as it should, we can move on to the last phase of commissioning.
Commissioning and handover of the water park and the spa
Once the above checks have been carried out with a positive result, it is time to carry out a general test of the entire water park and spa. This ensures that the facilities are working perfectly as a whole, all in unison, which will be the normal situation during the operation of the water park and spa, when the new facilities open to the public. At that time, we will be in a position to hand them over to the ownership of Colina do Sol campsite. The only thing left to do is to start the training of the operating team in the correct use and maintenance of the newly inaugurated facilities.
We leave here the presentation we made of the project at the time, if you want to know more details:
