In periods of intense heat, it is necessary to cool off, and, for this, private or public pools are an excellent solution to weather the summer. Faced with this, it must be taken into account that analyzing the quality of water in swimming pools is of great importance, both for their proper maintenance and to guarantee the health of people. Every pool owner encounters challenges, whether it’s murky water or malfunctioning filters. Learn about the common problems pool owners face and how to effectively address them.
What do we understand by water quality?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), water quality is understood as the conditions in which water is found in physical, chemical, and biological terms, in its natural state or after being altered by human activity.
Some of the circumstances that can alter the quality of the water may be weather conditions, the number of bathers in the case of a very busy public pool, and the additional contribution of dirt, among others.
5 factors that will determine the quality of water in swimming pools
There are 5 basic factors or parameters to take into account when analyzing the quality of water in swimming pools that, if not met, could mean a health problem for people who bathe in them; These factors are: chlorine levels, cyanuric/isocyanuric acid levels, the pH of the water, the hardness of the water and finally its alkalinity, each of them are detailed below.
1. pH
This is one of the main factors since it indicates whether a substance is acidic or basic. In swimming pools, the pH value should range between 7.2 and 7.6. If these values are altered, it can affect the effect of the products used in the treatment of pools, generating problems such as clouding the water or causing irritation in bathers. This factor must be analyzed regularly since the pH of the water tends to change constantly due to environmental factors.
2. Chlorine levels
Chlorine is one of the most used disinfectants for pool maintenance. Its function is to eliminate, through an oxidation process, bacteria and other organic matter present in the water, avoiding microbiological contaminants such as Escherichia coli, for example. When we add chlorine to water, a chemical reaction occurs that will result in the formation of hypochlorous acid, this would be the actual disinfectant product that causes chlorine.
3. Cyanuric/isocyanuric acid levels
Chlorine tablets contain a stabilizer called isocyanuric or cyanuric acid, which works as a protective shield for chlorine against sunlight. The sun’s ultraviolet rays degrade chlorine very quickly, in a period of two hours chlorine can be eliminated by 75 to 90%, which creates a problem for outdoor pools. Faced with this problem, isocyanuric acid can prolong the useful life of free chlorine up to 8 times under direct sunlight, but at the same time, it can accumulate in the pool water, reducing the disinfectant effect of chlorine, which is why it is recommended that it cyanuric acid levels do not exceed 75 ppm.
4. Hardness of water
When we talk about hardness, we are referring to the parameter that measures the amount of magnesium and calcium salts dissolved in the water; The more magnesium and calcium there are in the water, the greater the hardness. Excess hardness in the water could cause deterioration in the pipes, limescale, and cloudy water, among others.
5. Water alkalinity
The last main parameter is the alkalinity of the water, it has the ability to neutralize the acids that a substance has. In addition, it provides us with information about the number of alkaline substances that are present in the water, such as carbonates, bicarbonates, and hydroxides. On the other hand, the alkalinity of the water functions as a regulator of the pH levels of the water, preventing it from suffering alterations.
