How Big Can a Swimming Pool Be?

Some lucky homeowners have backyards large enough to accommodate a sizeable swimming pool, perhaps as large as 20 feet (6.1 m) wide by 40 feet (12.2 m) long. These generous dimensions aren't enough for water parks, though, where pools run much larger. Technically, a swimming pool can be as large as the space it is intended to fill, as evidenced by a pool at the San Alfonso del Mar resort in Algarrobo, Chile. This monster swimming hole measures 3,323 feet (1,013 m) long and has a maximum depth of 11.5 feet (3.5 m). This is roughly equivalent to 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools arranged from end to end. It covers 19.8 acres and holds the record for the world's largest swimming pool. Visitors to San Alfonso del Mar can indulge in activities like windsurfing, kayaking and scuba diving, all in the safety of the resort's mammoth pool.

More about swimming pools:

• A home swimming pool can hold anywhere from about 10,800 gallons (40.9 kiloliters) to 30,000 gallons (113.5 kiloliters).
• An Olympic-sized swimming pool is about 164 feet (50 m) long and 82 feet (25 m) wide, with a depth of 6 feet (2 m).
• The average cost for an in-ground swimming pool installed in the United States is between $50,000 and $75,000 USD.