Chlorine in pools is like a magic wand, it clears out toxins and bacteria keeping your pool clean and healthy. But have you ever wondered about possible answers to questions like, is chlorine safe in swimming pools, and a lot more? Well, there are factors and reasons why chlorine will be harmful to swimmers, and some of the indications are red and itchy eyes, dry hair and skin, and when you are already smelling a strong smell of chlorine in the air.
Whilst chlorine can be harmful at times, it is also beneficial since it can be used to keep your pool water sanitized and free from any form of debris, bacteria, and germs, given that they are on the acceptable level or range. Also, factors such as well-balanced water chemistry are essential in making sure that chlorine will do what it is assigned to do.
Part 1. Identifying The Benefits Of Having Chlorine In Your Pool?
The different possible answers to the question, is chlorine safe in swimming pools, can be many, but before we get to them, let us initially figure out the different benefits or advantages of having chlorine applied in your swimming pools. There are two most popular chemicals that you can apply to your pool to keep it clean, clear, and healthy all the time are chlorine and bromine. It will help you kill all the bacteria, pathogens, and germs that you might have in your pool water.
If you love to swim with lots of people in a commercial pool, and the chlorine content of these pools is not monitored, there is a high risk for your health. Bathers can introduce chemicals that can be considered harmful concerning your water chemistry. Aside from that, you will likely have to be exposed to potentially harmful bacteria from other bathers, since there is no chlorine to kill them off.
So, you might want to swim in a well-chlorinated pool than get your luck in a non-chlorinated one with lots of chance to accumulate harmful bacteria from lots of bathers and debris.
Simply put out everything, chlorine will help you maintain a clean, clear, and healthy pool. As responsible pool and business owners, the level of chlorine must be maintained in adherence with the right level to fight off bacteria and protect bathers as well.
Part 2. What Is The Ideal and Safe Level Of Chlorine?
Swimmers have lots of reasons why they are curious about the possible answers to the question, is chlorine safe in swimming pools. Well, it is true, chlorine especially undiluted chlorine can be poisonous once ingested, however, if you make sure that chlorine is properly diluted and is applied based on the needed or required level, then there is nothing to worry about.
If you are still unsure then you also have to know that, chlorine is even added to your drinking water making sure that it is free from any types of bacteria, viruses, pathogens, and germs that may greatly affect different functions of your body. And of course, there is a specific level that you have to be reminded of.
Every pool owner must be responsible, they must exercise a good habit of executing water testing levels to be able to make sure that needed and allowed levels of chlorine are being met. Once your pool is well maintained, chlorine will be in the range between 1 and 3 ppm, and it is the required or needed range safe for bathers. Once your pool is well maintained and managed, the risk of chlorine exposure that might cause damage or any harmful effect to anyone will be low or even none, even on the pool.
Also, part of maintaining your pool is reminding yourself of the different precautions that must be taken while it is being applied to a pool. Once chlorine is applied in your pool, you must not dip immediately, there are specific time ranges that you have to follow depending on the type and dose of chlorine that you have applied or used. Once chlorine is applied to your pool, even after the waiting hours as suggested, you have to still conduct water testing to make sure that the level of chlorine is within the safe range. Once you see that the level is already below 5 ppm, then you can now swim in. Even if this safe range is obtained, it is still advised to observe the recommended range which is still lower than 5 ppm.
Part 3. Keeping Your Pool Water Safe?
Even after figuring out the safe levels and even the benefits of using chlorine in pools, it is still a must to always take precautions and figure out ways to keep your pool safe in terms of chlorination. This will aid in answering questions from bathers like, is chlorine safe in swimming pools.
One of the factors that could highly influence the level of safety for your pools is the unintentional introduction of chemicals that can be or cannot be harmful to your pool. As a precaution, it must be minimized.
If you own a commercial pool, you can have a rule where bathers are required to shower before dipping into the pool. This will wash off sweat, lotion, shampoo, body oils, and other chemicals humans commonly apply to their bodies which can later on affect the overall water chemistry of your pool. And for bathers to be surely safe, they are also advised to take a shower after dipping into the pool, this would wash off the different compounds that must have been formed in the pool water. It would be advised for you to use natural soap to effectively dislodge all the chemicals starting from your hair down to your whole body. You also have to make sure that you rinse your body well to make the cleaning a lot more effective.
Another important thing that must be emphasized is to not pee in the pool. Even if you already know that the pool water is treated by chlorine, peeing in your pool will cause the formation and accumulation of chemical compounds that can be harmful.
Part 4. Conclusion
Is chlorine safe in swimming pools? Well, the answer would vary depending on how it is applied, utilized, and monitored as well. If you are one of the very responsible pool owners out there, you will definitely gain lots of bathers over time, and they will not just have the best time in your pool, but they will also swim in delight and happiness as they do not have to worry about acquiring any harmful disease or feeling any signs of discomfort because of chlorine. After all, everyone must always be careful in handling and applying chemicals in a pool, aside from it needs the right procedures before application, different factors must be considered. In case you are not that sure of what might happen, you can ask the help of a professional to assist you and give you applicable measures to control the situation, making sure that no one will be affected and harmed.
Part 5. FAQs
1. Will you have cancer if you swim in chlorinated pools?
The possible answer to this question is still not figured out as of this time. Studies are still ongoing, however, there are agencies from different countries that have already confirmed the disassociation based on the existing data. However, these data are still said to be insufficient, and yet to be determined until this time.
2. Where does the disinfection byproduct come from?
These byproducts are produced when chlorine and other types of disinfectants react with water impurities including urine, body oils, sweat, lotions, and a lot more, which are introduced to the pool by swimmers. One of the most commonly known byproducts is chloramines. Chloramines can irritate the eyes and skin of bathers; it is also the reason for the foul odor you usually smell in your pool water if the chlorine level is not monitored well.
3. How can you overcome the different disinfection byproducts?
One of the simplest answers to this is to properly maintain water level chemistry. If you get to manage it well, there be fewer byproducts of disinfection, and there can also be none. This also includes proper maintenance and frequent checking of chlorine levels to prevent bathers from acquiring waterborne diseases. Once you have maintained your pool well, the impurities will be lessened, or for the best be gone, and the formation of byproducts will be too far from occurring. As a responsible swimmer as well, one must always shower before entering the pool grounds, and bathers must never pee in the pool. Once impurities are low in level or gone, the formation of disinfection byproducts will also be low in levels or none, as well.