Regardless of the type of pool you plan to swim in when the temperatures soar, a basic question is whether pool swimming will be safe this summer. We think it comes down to two issues, pool water quality and navigating crowds.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that chlorine is added to water to kill germs. Chlorine and pH are the first line of defense against germs that can make swimmers sick, according to the CDC.
Whether you use chemical sanitizers or electrical-generation devices and secondary-disinfection systems (such as ozone or UV), you must maintain adequate sanitizer levels using oxidizers like chlorine or bromine in combination with systems like UV or ozone to prevent disease causing microorganisms, according to CDC guidance.
Source: chemicalsafetyfacts.org
Chlorine is added to the water to kill germs. When chlorine is in a pool, it forms a weak acid called hypochlorous acid that kills bacteria like salmonella and E. coli, as well as germs that cause viruses such as diarrhea and swimmer’s ear. Chlorine in pools results in no odor and helps maintain swimming conditions.
The chlorine in pools is a naturally-occurring chemical element and one of the basic building blocks of matter. Chlorine is produced from ordinary salt, by passing an electric current through a solution of brine (common salt dissolved in water) in a process called electrolysis.
Chlorine for pools is available in various formats and concentrations, each optimized for pool size and type. Pools are sanitized using a variety of chlorine-based compounds including chlorine gas, sodium hypochlorite (liquid bleach), calcium hypochlorite, lithium hypochlorite and chlorinated isocyanurates. When any of these compounds are added to water, they release hypochlorous acid (HOCl), the active sanitizing agent.
Both types of pools actually use chlorine. Saltwater pools are chlorine pools in which the chlorine is generated on-site from sodium chloride. Other types of chlorine pools use chlorine to disinfect the water with chlorine tablets or sticks.
Healthy pools don’t smell like chemicals. Pool water is often described as smelling like “chlorine,” but a well-managed pool shouldn’t have an odor. The pool water scent does not come from the chlorine itself but from chemical compounds called chloramines, which build up in pool water when it is improperly treated, creating a “pool chlorine smell.”
Chloramines result from two main sources: (1) chloramines that form when chlorine is added to sanitize swimming pools, and (2) perspiration, oils and urine that enter pools from swimmers’ bodies. Chloramines can be eliminated using chlorine in pools. “Shock treatment” or “superchlorination” is the practice of adding extra chlorine to pools to destroy ammonia and the organic compounds that combine with chlorine to make chloramines.Some swimmers might worry “There is too much chlorine in the pool” if, after a swim, their eyes are reddened or irritated. However, when pool water is irritating, that is typically a sign that there is not enough chlorine in swimming pool water! Chloramines are the true cause of irritation.
To keep a pool hot tub or spa safe, the water must be tested on a daily basis, especially when it’s being used a lot. Chlorine in pools keeps eye redness and irritation to a minimum. Learn more about maintaining healthy pools in the video below.
Accidentally swallowing small amounts of pool water is fine, but excessive drinking of pool water should be avoided. Swallowing pool water or inhaling it up your nose can expose you to bacteria and viruses like E. coli, norovirus, and even parasites like Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and Shigella.
If excessive amounts of heavily chlorinated water are consumed, it can also lead to a number of “hypochloremic” conditions: stomach cramps, burning in the mouth, a swollen or painful throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
The following resource are from the CDC and ACC: