The Problem
Is something wrong with chlorine?
When it comes to disinfecting pool and aquatics venue water, chlorine has been the standard water treatment method since 1961 when the United States Public Health Service published its model ordinance governing public pool water sanitation.
Today, however, scientists are learning more about the limitations and potential hazards of chlorine. Problems of drinking water disinfection byproducts (DBPs) have been studied widely since Bellar's landmark paper in 1974. Since then, outbreaks of chlorine-resistant recreational water illnesses, along with the ever-present danger of chloramines have left many operators, public health officials, and others looking for ways to mitigate the risks and limitations of chlorine.
Chloramines and RWIs drive the need for a better solution.
Chloramines and RWIs are driving recent attention to secondary commercial pool water disinfection.
Chlorine is known to react with organic material in pool water to create chloramines which create foul odors, skin, eye, ear and lung irritation, and potential damage to indoor air handling systems (HVAC). Chloramines can also cause breathing disorder illnesses such as “Swimmers Asthma.” Plus, a recently publicized study related to chlorine and cancer risks raises further concern of the health issues of chlorine. Since the discovery of chloramines in the 1930s pool operators have struggled to balance the need for sanitized water with the need to enhance swimmer safety by eliminating chloramines.
Recreational Water Illnesses (RWIs) caused by chlorine-resistant microorganisms and chlorinated byproducts have become more common over the past two decades. Recreational Water Illness (RWI) has become widespread in the United States in commercial and public pool venues and is increasing annually, which poses a significant threat to public health and liability risks to those involved in operating aquatics venues. Repeated outbreaks of illness caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Giardia and Cryptosporidium parvum (Crypto), and others as well as asthma related breathing disorders indicate that conventional chlorine treatments alone are not doing the job. See the Centers for Disease Control's Cryptosporidiosis Surveillance report (a PDF download) from June 2010 to see how "chlorine tolerant" crypto is traced to pools treated by chlorine.
The solution is secondary disinfection systems that are used in addition to chlorine with potent sanitation that reduces, chlorine consumption minimizes or eliminates potential chlorine hazards.
Learn More about Ozone and Public Health:
Read the 2010 article by Judy LaKind et al summarizing our knowledge about disinfection byproducts (read more on DBPs) in pools and the hazards they present to humans. And, read our other pages:
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.
