Swimming pool: Hygiene regulations and water quality

The water in pool must be clear, free of bacteria and algae, so that swimming to her to ensure pleasure and health. Hygiene regulations and water quality

Water quality

Water problems

Organic contamination.

The attendance of a large number of swimmers in one pool, where water, however rapidly it is recycled, does not have the ability to self-purify due to its insufficient contact with air, resulting in the creation of an organic load that causes contamination and which must constantly be under control and removed.

Control is done by maintaining a sufficient amount of free chlorine in the pool so that it reacts with the organics that are created. The resulting compounds (chlorine derivatives) are removed by filtration and by draining part of the water (it is replenished with "fresh" water which, together with the amount of that lost due to evaporation, is about 1% of the total volume of pool water per week ).

Bacterial proliferation. 

Even when there are no swimmers in a pool, there is always bacteria growing which becomes much more common as the water temperature rises.

The proliferation of bacteria is accelerated by the presence of swimmers, who carry with them new colonies of bacteria from the surrounding area and from the air. Bacteria can be effectively treated with the right chemical treatment.

Eye and mucous membrane irritation 

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It is mainly due to the creation of a large amount of alkaline compounds. Chlorine treatment with the subsequent reaction of chlorine with organic compounds creates a pH sufficiently alkaline that must be controlled and reduced to prevent eye and mucous membrane irritation. Eye and skin irritations are also caused at acidic pH.

Turbidity 

It is the most obvious of pool water problems. If the pool has significant depth, even the slightest turbidity is detected. Therefore, the removal of turbidity is of prime importance and is achieved by proper water filtration.

The causes of turbidity can be dust carried by the wind, precipitation of hardness salts (calcium and magnesium salts) due to heating of the water or high pH, water containing iron, algae, colloids, etc.

Algae and fungi 

The growth of algae and fungi comes from the combination of water, light, alkalinity and temperature. The light starts the process of photosynthesis, which gives food to the algal seeds that fall into the water from the air, where they float.

An effective preventive control of algae is easier than removing them once they have already formed. In this case, the water is treated with algaecides and chlorine.

Unpleasant color and smell 

The color of the water is a result of its turbidity and sometimes the presence of volatile hydrocarbons that give it a golden yellow color. There should be no smell.

pH 

pH is an indicator of how acidic or alkaline the water is. When the pH of the water is less than 7 the water is acidic, when it is greater than 7 the water is alkaline and when it is equal to 7 it is neutral. For human skin the ideal pH is between 7.0 and 7.4. The tears in our eyes have a pH of 7.

On the other hand, the most effective action of chlorine is at a pH of 7.0. It has been shown that a pH of 8.5 requires 10 times more chlorine than a pH of 7.5.

Low pH causes corrosion of metal parts of pool equipment, chlorine taste in water and irritation of swimmers' eyes and skin.

High pH causes the proliferation of algae, favors the precipitation of hardness salts, reduces the efficiency of chlorine, causes irritation to the eyes and mucous membranes.

The permissible pH range of pool water is between 7.2 and 7.6. Between these pH values we aim to maintain pool water.

Hygiene regulations and water quality