KOLAM RENANG

Swimming pool sanitation

• Swimming pool sanitation refers to both visual clarity and levels of microflora, such as
bacteria and viruses in swimming pools.

• The goal of sanitation is to prevent the spread of diseases and pathogens between users.

• Unsanitized water may also support the growth of algae which will present as a greenish
tinge initially, then if left unchecked may completely inhabit the pool water displaying a solid
green murky appearance.

• A rule of thumb is that the water should be sufficiently clear to permit the main drain to be
clearly visible from the pool deck at all distances up to ten meters (eleven yards) in a
horizontal direction from the projection of the drain on the pool surface.

This, however, is merely to be considered a negative indicator, not a guarantee that the pool water
is properly sanitized. Swimming pool water can still be contaminated with microscopic organisms,
even though it is visually clear

• The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) therefore issued the recreational
water standards a few years ago to restrain the bacterial problem.

• With the similar objective as EPA, the International Organization for Standardization
published the standards of ISO 15553 recently.

• Only pools and spas that contain filtered and disinfected water can be considered safe
places to swim.

• Poor pool maintenance may lead to low levels of disinfectants and clogged filters that may
place swimmers at risk for diseases and infections.

• The only way to ensure proper sanitation is to test the swimming pool water with a pool
water test kit and fresh reagents

Typical filtration equipment used

in private swimming pools
Water pump

• An electrically operated water pump is the prime motivator in recirculating the water from
the pool.

• Water is forced through a filter and then returned to the pool.

• A typical pool pump uses 500 watts to 2,000 watts. Pumps are typical run for 4 hours per day
in winter (when the pool is not in use) and up to 24 hours in summer.
• To save electricity costs most people run for between 6 hours and 12 hours in summer with
the pump being controlled by an electronic timer.

• Some pool pumps have two motor speeds to reduce power consumption at times when full
power is not needed.

• Other pump manufacturers (typically Italian or other European) have redesigned their units
to use a smaller electric motor with heavier windings, therefore consuming less energy, to
power a larger pump impeller.

• Pool pumps typically are "self priming": they may be positioned above the mean water level
of the pool yet still start up and function after a timed rest period. Pumps that do not "self
prime" are termed "flooded suction" and must be gravity fed by the pool by being located
below the mean level of the pool water.

• Most pool pumps available today incorporate a small filter basket termed a "hair and lint
strainer" or "lint pot" as the last effort to avoid leaf or hair contamination reaching the close-
tolerance impeller section of the pump.

• Filter Unit
• A pressure-fed filter is typically placed in line immediately after the water pump. The filter
typically contains a media such as graded sand (called '14/24 Filter Media' in the UK system
of grading the size of sand by sifting through a fine brass-wire mesh of 14 to the inch to 24 to
the inch). A pressure fed sand filter is termed a 'High Rate' sand filter, and will generally filter
turbid water down to 10 micrometers in size.

• The rapid sand filter type are periodically 'back washed' as contaminants reduce water flow
and increase back pressure. Indicated by a pressure gauge on the pressure side of the filter
reaching into the 'red line' area, the pool owner is alerted to the need to 'backwash' the
unit. The sand in the filter will typically last five to seven years before all the "rough edges"
are worn off and the more tightly packed sand no longer works as intended.

• Introduced in the early 1900s was another type of sand filter; the 'Rapid Sand' filter,
whereby water was pumped into the top of a large volume tank (3' 0" or more cube)
containing filter grade sand, and returning to the pool through a pipe at the bottom of the
tank. As there is no pressure inside this tank, they were also known as 'gravity filters'. These
type of filters are not greatly effective, and are no longer common in home swimming pools,
being replaced by the pressure-fed type filter.

• Other filter media

• Other filters use Diatomaceous earth (DE) to help filter out contaminants. Commonly
referred to as 'D.E.' filters, they exhibit superior filtration capabilities.

• Often a D.E. filter will trap water-borne contaminants as small as 1 micrometer in size. D.E.
filters are banned in some states, as they must be emptied out periodically and the
 contaminated media flushed down the sewer, causing a problem in some districts' sewage
systems.

• Other filter media that have been introduced to the residential swimming pool market since
1970 include sand particles and paper type cartridge filters of 50 to 150 square feet filter
area arranged in a tightly packed 12" diameter x 24" long (300mm x 600mm) accordion-like
circular cartridge. These units can be 'daisy-chained' together to collectively filter almost any
size home pool. The cartridges are typically cleaned by removal from the filter body and
hosing-off down a sewer connection. They are popular where backwashed water from a
sand filter is not allowed to be discharged into the aquifer.

• Skimmers

• Water is typically drawn from the pool via a rectangular aperture in the wall connected
through to a device fitted into one (or more) wall/s of the pool. The internals of the skimmer
are accessed from the pool deck through a circular or rectangle lid, about 1' 0" in diameter.

• On lifting the lid (if the pool is operational) you will see water being drawn from the pool,
over a floating weir (operating from a vertical position to 90 degrees angle away from the
pool, in order to stop leaves and debris being back-flooded into the pool by wave action),
and down into a removable "skimmer basket", the purpose of which is to entrap leaves and
other floating debris.

• The aperture visible from the pool side is typically 1' 0" wide by 6" high, which intersects the
water midway though the center of the aperture. Skimmers with apertures wider than this
are termed "wide angle" skimmers and may be as much as 2' 0" wide (600 mm).

• Floating skimmers have the advantage of not being effected by the level of the water as
these are adjusted to work with the rate of pump suction and will retain optimum skimming
regardless of water level leading to a markedly reduced amount of bio-material in the water.
Skimmers should always have a leaf basket or filter between it and the pump to avoid
blockages in the pipes leading to the pump and filter.

• Overflow channel pools

• An overflow channel is a gutter that surrounds the pool, covered by a removable grille.
Surface water flows over the edge of the pool and runs by gravity to to the filtration plant,
usually via a catchment and top-up tank.

• Often the exterior pool wall is higher than the overflow channel, eliminating the possibility
of pool water overflowing onto the adjacent pool surround.

• Other designs may not have this feature, relying instead on a wider drainage system to trap
any overflowing water.
Overflow channels allow faster turnover of the surface water than is possible with simple
weir skimmers, which is why they are commonly found in public pools. They can also be
attractive designs, particularly when transformed into a total "vanishing edge" pool. This
 design has been used to great effect in prize winning contemporary home design, notably in
Southern California and the surrounding desert states

• Pool water returns

• The final link in the pool recirculation system: skimmer-pump-filter-returns are the water
returns. Typically these are referred to as "eyeballs" as they incorporate a swiveling nozzle
that can be locked down to point in the desired direction and are reminiscent of a swiveling
human eyeball.

• The directional adjustment is usually a 360 degree radius circle of 45 degrees away from the
pool wall. Most home pools would incorporate at least two such "eyeballs". One recent
development in skimmers was the 1970s "Aquagenie(TM)" which differers considerably
operationally from conventional skimmers—most of which are quite similar in operation, if
not appearance—by both drawing the pool water and returning it to the same location
through a submerged slot which diverts the water downwards and in a wide fan shape.

• The concept incorporates a reservoir system to contain saturated trichor tablets which the
resulting high strength chlorinated water dribbles back into the recirculation system, so it
doubles up as a chlorine feeder as well as a normal skimmer. Arguably an "improvement" in
skimmer design, patents on the device expired in 2003 and the system is now available from
several US manufacturers.

• Other equipment

• Other equipment which may be optioned in the recirculation system include heat
pumps/gas heaters, saline chlorination units, [[ionization system]], Tri-Chlor Feeders,
diversions to solar panels, etc. are in most cases required to be placed after the filtration
plant, and are the last item before the water is returned to the pool.

• Outdoor structure

• Most swimming pool installations incorporate an outdoor structure designed to house the
pool filtration equipment as a protective measure against premature deterioration from
sunlight and rain. Typically, these structures range in size from a simple flip-lid three-sided
sound-insulated box set against a convenient house wall, the lid being constructed on a 15
to 20 degree slope and the interior large enough to hold the filter plant, pump, and
whatever chlorination system has been included—up to a full-size Pool House (AKA "Pool
Shed") with separate pool equipment area, bathroom, shower, changing areas, and in some
cases even a rumpus-room type entertainment area. As pool-side parties are common
amongst pool owning families, the Pool House forms the focal point for adult attendees,
while the pool itself remains the realm of the children. (Vigilance for the safety of young
children swimmers must be observed at all times, and a designated adult should be present
at the poolside in a supervisory capacity)

• Consecutive dilution
• A pool filtration system as described (above) is termed a "consecutive dilution" system, as a
constant and consecutive stream of fresh, chlorinated, and filtered water is being continually
returned to the pool as part of a process that could ultimately result in a pool with 100%
newly introduced fresh water over a period of time. Of course this goal is never achieved, as
there is also a constant stream of new contaminants entering the pool as subsequent
sections of this page will indicate.

• Potential of contamination in bodies of water used for swimming & bathing

• Transmission of disease from unfiltered/untreated swimming pool and spa water which may
have become contaminated by micro-organisms from infected swimmers, incoming water
from an unsanitary source, airborne contamination from rainfall, and droppings from birds,
is possible.[4] Contaminated water can lead to a variety of diseases including diarrhea and
skin, ear, and upper respiratory infections, particularly if the swimmer's head is submerged
or the water swallowed.

• Illness or infections associated with swimming pools, spas, and other recreational-water
environments has been linked to fecal contamination of the water due to feces released by
bathers or even contaminated source water.[5] Many of the outbreaks related to public
swimming pools have occurred because disinfection was poorly maintained - or not
introduced at all. The solution for private swimming pools owners is to maintain the
filtration and sterilization system in satisfactory working order.

• The majority of reported swimming pool-related outbreaks have been caused by viruses;
recently, however, reported outbreaks have been more frequently associated with bacteria
and protozoa.[6]

• Non-fecal human shedding (e.g., from mucus, saliva, skin) in the swimming pool, spa or
similar recreational-water environments is a source of potential non-enteric pathogenic
organisms. Mucus, saliva and skin of infected users can directly contaminate pool or spa
waters and the surfaces of objects or materials at a facility with sufficient numbers of
primary pathogens (notably viruses or fungi), which can consequently lead to infections in
other swimmers who come in contact with the contaminated water or surfaces.

• Opportunistic pathogens (notably bacteria) can be shed from users and transmitted via
contaminated water in pools or spas. In addition, certain free-living aquatic bacteria and
amoeba can grow in pool or spa water, in pool or spa components or facilities (including
heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems) or on other wet surfaces within the
facility to a point at which some of the opportunistic pathogens may cause a variety of
respiratory, dermal or central nervous system infections or diseases.

• Persons with diarrhea are likely to contaminate the water but may not be common in pools
due to the effect of their illness on their desire to go swimming. On the other hand, children
wearing diapers or youngsters just learning to control their bowels are more likely to have
fecal accidents, which may lead to other swimmers swallowing fecal-contaminated water.

• Micro-organisms such as Cryptosporidium (crypto) may come in the municipal piped water
supply (mainly in countries with bad sanitation conditions), and are not easily killed by
 disinfectants in the pool. The advent of molecular techniques has conducted to characterize
different species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium infecting humans. The vast majority of
human cases of cryptosporidiosis in the world are caused by both species, Cryptosporidium
hominis and Cryptosporidium parvum. However other species including Cryptosporidium
felis can infect humans too. To date this (felis) emerging protozoan disease is present in
humans around the world, except in Australia and Oceania.(Source: Service de Parasitologie
et Mycologie medicales, Faculte de Medecine et Centre hospitalier universitaire d'Amiens,
Universite de Picardie Jules Vemrne, 80054 Amiens, France. raccurt.christian@chu-
amiens.Fr)

• Prevention of diseases in swimming pools and spas

• Disease prevention should be a part of every water quality management program for pool
operators, just like the prevention of drowning, injuries, and sunburn. People are less likely
to be exposed to polluted water at swimming pools and spas that are monitored regularly
and audited for health hazards. The pool water has to be continuously disinfected by
disinfectants so that the concentrations set by standards are maintained throughout the
pool water, and also the pH, the clarity and the total alkalinity of the water has to be
maintained in accordance with the requirements set by standards.

• The education of parents of small children and other people with regard to good hygienic
behavior at swimming pools is also important for improving health safety at swimming pools
and spas. People should also be cautioned about swimming in pools if they are suffering
from gastroenteritis or other illnesses where viral pathogens might be transmitted from
swimmer to swimmer via pool water.

• Since most swimmers are exposed to pathogens by swallowing the water, people will be less
likely to get sick if they swim without submerging their head.

• Strong oxidizing agents are often used, especially simple chlorine compounds such as
sodium hypochlorite. Other disinfectants include bromine compounds and ozone. Chlorine,
bromine, and ozone can all be generated on site by passing an electrical current through
either the pool water itself, in the case of chlorine or bromine, or through oxygen or air, in
the case of ozone. Chlorine may be supplied as a hypochlorite solution (bleach), powdered
calcium hypochlorite ("cal hypo"), chlorinated cyanurate compounds ("stabilized" chlorine
such as dichlor or trichlor), or by dissolving chlorine gas directly in water. Maintaining a safe
concentration of disinfectant is critically important in assuring the safety and health of
swimming pool users. When any of these pool chemicals are used, it is very important to
keep the pH of the pool in the range 7.2 to 7.6;[8] higher pH drastically reduces the
sanitizing power of the chlorine due to reduced oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), while
lower pH causes bather discomfort, especially to the eyes. Chlorine reacting with urea in
urine from bathers can create nitrogen trichloride, which has a teargas-type effect.[9]

• Where the water is sanitized by means of oxidizers, some suppliers of electronic monitoring
equipment recommend that the efficacy of the oxidizer be measured by the oxidation-
reduction potential of the water, a factor measured in millivolts, where the minimum
acceptable ORP level in public pools is 650 millivolts. This is supposed to ensure a 1-second
 kill rate for microorganisms introduced into the water. Unfortunately, a commonly used
non-chlorine supplemental oxidizer, potassium monopersulfate, can produce measured 650
mV levels even in the absence of all sanitizing residuals. Cyanurated ("stabilized")
chlorinators can give falsely high chlorine readings when tested with OTO (ortho-tolidene, a
yellow indicator dye used in inexpensive test kits), since the chlorine indicated by the dye is
mostly in a combined form instead of free, and does not contribute to ORP. ORP test cells
are available as hand-held instruments, and as probes for mounting permanently in the pool
circulation plumbing to control automatic chlorine feeders

• Test kits to make basic measurements of free chlorine and pH from a sample of pool water,
which are the most important items to control in a swimming pool, are packaged with small
dropper bottles of reagents. These reagents are typically OTO for chlorine and phenol red for
pH. OTO has been phased out in most countries due to a connection with the production of
cancer cells in test rats. More commonly DPD tablets replaced OTO since 1980. The kits
include vials for mixing a water sample with the test reagents, and color charts for reading
the indicated levels. These kits are termed "Comparator" kits as the test is "compared" to a
known color value. Besides chlorine and pH, which should be checked frequently, more
sophisticated reagent kits provide tests for acid demand and base demand, total alkalinity
(TA), calcium hardness, and cyanurate ("stabilizer") concentration. These additional tests
tend to vary only over weeks or months in a well-maintained pool, and thus need not be
checked as frequently as chlorine and pH.

• In the 1970s the Taylor Watergram introduced the relationship between the compounds and
chemicals desired to be present in pool water. When the requirements of relationship were
met, the pool was considered to be "balanced". A residential pool that is in proper "balance"
would have a pH of 7.6, Calcium Hardness of 200 ppm (parts per million), Sodium
Bicarbonate level of 120 ppm—and a residual chlorine level of 1.0 to 2.0 ppm

• Residential swimming pools generally rely on "breakpoint chlorination" i.e. the amount of
residual chlorine present in the water is sufficient to combat the daily introduction of
nitrogenous based matter and yet leave a positive residual. This is generally arrived at by a
process of experimentation on the part of the pool owner.

• Below ground, outdoor, irregularly shaped salt water pool. Automated pool cleaner visible at
far end.

• Pool sanitation, which necessarily involves toxic or mechanical means of killing microbes, can
sometimes unintentionally irritate the swimmers, especially if poorly maintained and
especially if too high level of chlorine and/or too low pH. Non-chlorine sanitizing chemicals
and devices are promoted as being less harsh, but any sanitizer is harsh if overused. Water
circulating through a pipe can be sterilized with UV light instead of chemicals, but some level
of chemical sanitizer is still needed, because only a small portion of the pool water passes
through the circulation system at any given time, and the circulation system typically only
 runs for a few hours each day. UV sterilization also does not inhibit algae from growing on
pool surfaces, and it does not break down dissolved nitrogenous nutrients that feed algae
growth, so some type of oxidizing sanitizer is still needed to check these trends, although it
need not be dosed during bathing hours for this purpose

• "Chlorine smell" is misunderstood. While chlorine is a slightly yellowish, gas with a

suffocating odor, the so-called "chlorine smell" is not that of pure chlorine. The
characteristic odor occurs when an insufficient amount of chlorine is used to disinfect a
contaminated pool. In the incomplete reaction that follows, by-products called
"chloramines" are produced, and chloramines are responsible for the smell. The way to
remove these chloramines is to "super-chlorinate" (commonly called "shocking") the pool
with a dose of 10ppm of Cal-Hypo. Regular superchlorination (every two weeks in summer)
will eliminate these unpleasant odors in the pool.

• Generally, a well managed pool will have no smell or taste, be scrupulously clean, and have
crystal clear water. Most people would not want to swim in a pool that appears dirty even if
germs were under control. A pool pump circulates water through a strainer and filter to
remove dirt and other suspended particles. The plumbing circuit may also include a gas or
electric heater, solar panels, and chemical injector.

• The proper management of a backyard swimming pool can be a difficult and time-consuming
task. The chemical balance of the water has to be monitored carefully to make sure that it
does not become fouled with algae or bacteria. Either of these will make the water smell
and look unpleasant and can be a serious health hazard. The water must also be kept clear
of debris such as fallen leaves and sticks, as these encourage fouling and become very
slippery and dangerous as they start to decompose. Most people keep their pool either
covered over or drained entirely during the months of the year in which it is not in use, as
this is the easiest way to keep it sanitary (draining however can be a serious safety hazard
with deeper pools and re-filling can be fairly expensive in areas where water is scarce).
Public and competitive swimming pools are therefore often, especially in colder climates,
indoor pools—covered with a roof and heated—to enable their use all year round.

• Chlorine generators (salt systems)

• Chlorine may be generated on site, such as in saltwater pools. A New Zealand device, the
Aquatech IG450 home pool saline chlorinator, was introduced to the residential swimming
pool industry when the first commercially manufactured units for home use were shown at
the 1973 Chicago Trade Fair. In the following years, many US, Australian and South African
companies duplicated the device, as the process of creating chlorine from saline water - a
process that occurs in nature when lightning strikes the ocean - was not Patentable. This
process generates chlorine by low-voltage electrolysis of dissolved salt (NaCl) using an
electrode incorporated in the pool plumbing, eliminating the requirement of manually
dosing the pool daily with powder chlorine. Chlorine generators avoid the need for constant
handling of dangerous sanitizing chemicals, and can generate sanitizing power at a lower
cost than equivalent chemicals, but they have a significant up-front cost for the apparatus
and initial salting of the pool. Annual rainfall contributes to dilution of the pool water, which
will require regular "topping up" with several 50Lb (20Kg) bags of salt for the average size
pool.