The Solution: Secondary Disinfection with Ozone
Public health concerns over chloramines, Recreational Water Illnesses (RWIs), and now the possible link between chlorine exposure and cancer risk, make the need for a solution great. As we’re seeing, chlorine is no longer enough and may actually be part of the problem. What’s needed is a solution that can moderate the health risks of chlorine while enhancing the health, safety, and disinfection of the water in our public and commercial pools and hot tubs.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is currently working with public health and industry representatives across the United States to build a Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC). Soon to be released, the MAHC will serve as a model and guide for local and state agencies to update or implement standards governing the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of swimming pools and other treated recreational water venues (according to the CDC).
One key technical area being explored by a specially-appointed CDC technical committee, of which DEL Ozone is represented, addresses water disinfection methodologies. The committee has explored a variety of issues surrounding pool water disinfection and the resulting recommendation to be adopted by the MAHC is the use of secondary disinfection. Secondary disinfection involves the supplementation of chlorine with either Ozone or UV.
Why Secondary Disinfection for Swimming Pools?
Secondary disinfection is needed in commercial pools and hot tubs to mediate the inherent weaknesses of chlorine, providing a safer water experience for swimmers and pool employees.
Ozone is an efficacious antimicrobial oxidizer that, when used in conjunction with low-dose chlorine, notably improves pool water quality and clarity. These water quality improvements result from ozone’s potent and rapid oxidation of organic and inorganic compounds.
Why not Ozone without Chlorine?
While the true role of ozone is a primary sanitizer, maintaining ozone residuals in the pool that are high enough to ensure continuous in-pool protection from bather-to-bather cross-contamination can be expensive and can present a risk of dangerous ozone off-gas. Ozone is ideally suited to serve as a secondary disinfectant. A low residual of chlorine used with an appropriately sized and maintained ozone system will be virtually undetectable even by the most sensitive bathers and will keep operating costs very low.
Learn More about Ozone and Public Health:
The DEL Ozone Aquatics Program is Easy as 1-2-3:
1. Request a quote. We’ll size your system according to MAHC guidelines and send a quote right away.
2. We’ll deliver and commission your pre-installed system within one to two months.
3. Begin to enjoy the improvements to your water quality and your facility right away.
