Have you ever wondered why pool water is chlorinated? We all know that chlorine is the chemical used to disinfect water. But how does chlorine work to clean water? Is disinfecting pool water necessary?
Here comes the answer.
Regulations require that water in public swimming pools be safe for swimmers and free of pathogens. They impose the use of proper disinfectants to kill bacteria.
Regulations set standards to keep water in public swimming pools clean and safe for the public. Pool water must be free of disease causing pathogens. To ensure that these standards are followed, proper disinfectants are to be used to decrease the risk of illness. Water must be clear and protected against harmful microorganisms. Standard time needed to destroy and remove bacteria which have entered into water pool is set at 30 seconds.
Chlorine sanitizing is the most common and efficient method of purifying water and destroying microorganisms which cause health-related problems. Chlorine is effective in killing bacteria and removing unfiltered organic contaminants. However, chlorine sanitizing has its drawbacks. Chloramines are formed during a reaction between chlorine and ammonia (ammonium nitrate) which is found in the human body. Chloramines produce overwhelming unpleasant and irritating chlorine odour. Chloramines cause skin and eye irritation, they may also cause respiratory problems. Chlorine compounds provoke dryness of the skin and allergic reactions in sensitive swimmers.
There are alternative methods of pool water disinfection, but despite their numerous advantages they are too expensive to use, especially to sanitize large swimming pools. Alternative swimming pool sanitization methods include ozone sanitization, ultraviolet (UV) sanitization, AntiBio water treatment, maintaining law salt concentration and bromine sanitization.
Ozone sanitization and ultraviolet sanitization are, along with chlorine sanitization, the most common methods of pool water disinfection. Ozone sanitization, which is the second most common sanitization method, reduces the amount of chlorines and the unpleasant chlorine odour. Although it has advantages, it does not act instantly and it alone is not a sufficient method and needs to be used alongside with chlorine. Ozone sanitization does not act instantly because it may take more than the standard 30 seconds for contaminated water to get filtered and ozone sanitized. That is why ozone sanitized pool water has to contain chlorine to get disinfected and provide anti-microorganisms protection. Even so, ozone plus chlorine sanitized pool is much safer for children.
Ultraviolet (UV) water sanitization uses UV light to kill microorganisms. UV sanitization, like ozone sanitization, is not able to prevent recontamination. UV technology is also supplemented with chlorine sanitization, but the amount of chlorine added to water is smaller than in ozone sanitization. UV technology reduces irritating chlorine odour and chloramines concentration.
Chlorine is still the most common method of pool water disinfection in Poland. As can be seen even if you choose alternative methods, you will need to add chlorine, though in smaller amounts, to sanitize the swimming pool. Although chlorine may dry out and irritate the skin, it needs to be used to provide safe, germ-free and clean pool water.
Every swimmer is responsible for the quality of pool water. Remember to take a shower before swimming in order to wash off microorganisms which react with chlorine. This will reduce the amount of chloramines which irritate the skin and the eyes and cause unpleasant overwhelming chlorine odour. Remember to take a shower after swimming to feel fresh and cleanse your body and hair to remove chlorine compounds. Use TRISWIM skin and hair care products which leave your body nourished and pampered to neutralize chlorine, remove harmful chemicals and unpleasant chlorine odour.
