Are Pools without Chlorine Safe for Swimming?
Chlorine and swimming pools are practically synonymous, since this chemical is often used to keep pool water clean, safe, and free of harmful impurities. In fact, it’s so common to smell the strong, distinct scent of chlorine when swimming that you may be wondering if it’s okay to swim in a pool without it. This is the question we answer below.
What Chlorine Actually Does in a Pool
To answer the question about swimming in a pool without chlorine, let’s take a look at just what this chemical does in a pool. There are four specific reasons chlorine is often used in a swimming pool, even if it’s a salt water pool:
• It sanitizes and kills bacteria
• It oxidizes, which helps with overall water quality and clarity
• It kills algae and prevents it from growing and expanding in a pool
• It stabilizes pool water and produces fairly consistent water quality
What’s more, chlorine is one of the few chemicals that can do all of these things at once, so it actually keeps the various chemicals you’ll need to use for your pool at a reasonable minimum. It’s also perfectly safe as long as levels are appropriate for a pool’s depth and size and properly balanced.
What Goes On in a Pool without Chlorine
Now, let’s look at what happens in a pool without chlorine. First of all, stagnant pool water that’s not sanitized can contain all sorts of unseen dangers. In fact, the World Health Organization notes that a common reason for hospitalizations is water-related illnesses. Statistically, a pool without chlorine is more likely to make you sick because of the possibility of being exposed to the things not contained or killed by chlorine. Remember, your skin is porous, so microscopic impurities can pass through.
A pool sans chlorine is akin to a big puddle of murky water. And because of unrestrained algae growth, the pool wouldn’t be all that visually appealing. To be fair, you could swim in a pool without chlorine and probably be just fine, but the health and safety risks would be much greater.
But the Ocean Doesn’t Have Chlorine
This is obviously true, but ocean currents are always flowing and moving. Plus, the water in an ocean or lake isn’t contained to a specific area—and it’s always replaced naturally, so it doesn’t stagnate. Pool water, on the other hand, remains in place, even when it’s being filtered or recycled. For this reason, it’s easier for bacteria to grow and spread in this environment.
The Bottom Line about Pools and Chlorine
As mentioned above, you could probably swim in a pool without chlorine without any major health issues. However, long-term use of a pool lacking chlorinated H2O could make you sick or, at the very least, contribute to rashes and other types of skin irritation. You could also be at risk if you have an open sore or cut, so it’s ultimately best to swim in a pool with chlorine and other properly balanced chemicals.
If you take care to maintain your pool’s chlorine levels on a routine basis, you can keep it clean and ensure your family will be able to enjoy it for many years to come. If you haven’t yet built your pool, reach out to San Diego Pools, the pros with decades of experience. We’re one of the premier pool companies in San Diego, and our team of pool design and construction experts is dedicated to building exactly the pool you want and providing you with the highest-quality service in the industry. To get started on building the pool of your dreams, call us today at 888-707-7786.
