Four Common Pool Treatment Myths Debunked

Are you looking for a new swimming pool sanitation system? Here are four common myths about pool treatment that we've debunked to help you in your search. Myth 1. A heavy chlorine smell means the pool water is really, really clean. A strong chlorine smell in your swimming pool just means that there are more harmful disinfection byproducts in the pool and surrounding area. DBPs are the byproducts of chlorine interacting with organic materials in the pool water and have been associated with allergies, asthma, and skin and eye irritation. So, more organic materials (for example, lotions, cosmetics, sweat, urine and other more disgusting things) are in the water, the pool will have a more potent chlorine smell.  Myth 2. Salt water pools are chlorine-free. Salt water pool systems are called chlorine generators for a reason: they produce chlorine to treat the pool water. The chlorine interacts with the organic materials and contaminants in the pool, creating DBPs. Read our FAQ on salt systems for more information. Myth 3. Chlorine kills all the major “bugs” in swimming pool water. There are bacteria and protozoa that are resistant to chlorine. For example, take Cryptosporidium parvum, a protozoan that causes gastrointestinal illness and can land swimmers in the hospital by the dozens when an outbreak occurs. Luckily, there are new technologies that can sanitize water and kill Crypto effectively. Myth 4. Pools with UV or ozone systems are chlorine-free. UV and ozone pool systems disinfect water when it passes through the systems, but they do not produce a residual level of sanitation that can be dispersed throughout the pool water. A residual method of sanitation using chemicals such as chlorine is used in pools with both types of systems. Are you interested in non-chlorine, effective pool treatment system? Learn more about AOP Technology, Clear Comfort's low-chlorine pool water treatment technology.