Sanitized Pool/Spa Water Makes Everyone Happy
I finally admit it…I am a member of Germophobes Anonymous (GA). It’s taken me a long time to come forth with this, but it’s time I share my story so that others don’t fall into the same black hole in which I exist.
As a GA member, I am consciously aware of how DIRTY things are that I touch—from a keyboard to a door knob to a piece of paper. Everything has germs on it. In fact, you could say I pretty much bathe in Purell daily.
It’s funny that a germophobe like me just happens to be working in an industry that promotes sanitized/healthy water in pools and spas. As the Manager of Technical Services & Education, I even teach about the importance of properly sanitizing and oxidizing water to rid it of any germs, viruses, bacteria, or organics that can be harmful. When I give my seminars and webinars, two of the most common statistics I pass along are that the average human involuntarily releases 5–10 mL of urine in the pool or spa…AND…UGH…10–25 mg of fecal material every time they enter the water. Every time! What? No way! You mean people really do that in a pool or spa? Yup, it’s a fact. Let’s say there are 40+ people in a pool. Multiply those statistics by 40+ and you can see why I am reluctant to get within a block or two of my community swim club. I’d rather swim in the ocean with the fish!
But wait — there is hope for us germophobes. There are plenty of easy-to-use test strips and test kits on the market to monitor the quality of the water, as well as products to rid the water of any nasties thinking they have found a permanent home. So, when I talk to people about sanitizing and oxidizing their pools, I strongly emphasize the need to make sure that there is sufficient chlorine or bromine to take care of all the possible nastiness in the water. Our industry generally recommends an ideal free chlorine reading of 2.0–4.0 ppm in pools and 3.0–5.0 ppm in spas. For bromine, 4.0–6.0 ppm is an ideal level for pools and spas.
Whether it’s a residential or public pool or spa, let’s make sure the water is safe for everyone, even me, Mr. Germophobe!
