Saltwater Pool vs Chlorine Pool
by Dr. Jonathan Doyle - Updated January 23, 2024
According to the NSGA Annual Sports Participation Report , swimming has become more
popular for the second year in a row.
Walking exercise has been the most popular activity since 1990. Swimming overtook
equipment-based exercise as the third most popular activity in 2008 with 63 million participants.
Although it’s too soon to declare it a trend, experts say that swimming
participation is rising once more. According to the survey results, participation has risen annually since 2003,
with the exception of a decline in 2006. Sport creates more contemporary pools with features to suit all kinds
of users.
Everybody has a different taste when it comes to swimming. Aside from shape and
size, choosing between chlorine and saltwater for a swimming pool is a crucial decision. In general, saltwater
pools are more gentle than conventional chlorine pools. However, it’s important to know how much chlorine is in
your pool and how the two options differ from one another.
Pool Chlorine
Engaging in regular swimming exercises promotes physical fitness and relaxation;
however, it should be acknowledged that swimming pools may expose us to certain disinfection by-products, the
most prevalent being chlorine and chloride .
The production of chlorine and chloride results from the reaction between
chlorine-containing pool sanitizers and contaminants in pool water during pool water treatment. This reaction
produces chloramine compounds, which have the potential to cause health complications for individuals.
Related: What’s in the Pool ?
The Risks Associated with Too Much Chlorine in Pool
The amount of disinfecting agent in swimming pool water varies depending on the
usage of the pool, temperature, frequency of water changes, swimmer volume, and other variables. A low
disinfectant content makes it difficult to disinfect pool water properly and more likely to harbor
microorganisms; a high disinfectant content can result in many health issues.
Elevated concentrations of chloride have the potential to elevate the pH level of
water, resulting in irritation of the skin and eyes, including redness of the eyes and itching.
Furthermore, long-term exposure to chlorine tablets for pool can damage the
respiratory system and result in coughing or dyspnea, particularly when the chlorine reacts with organic
materials dissolved in water.
Additionally, ingesting excessively chlorinated water can result in digestive side
effects like nausea and stomach pain. Pool water contains chemical byproducts, including chlorine, that may have
an adverse effect on an individual’s immune system and reduce their resistance.
Related: Common US Tap Water Contaminants
Reducing Water’s Chlorine Content
A report of the Council
on Environmental Quality (CEQ) , indicates that individuals who consume chlorine-treated tap water have
a greater chance of developing cancer than those who consume unchlorinated water.
However, residual chlorine is perpetually present in municipal water purification
systems; therefore, the question arises as to how such water can be purified. The Reverse Osmosis water purifier
is the most suitable choice:
The Waterdrop G3P800 RO system effectively reduces chlorine levels and combats a
variety of pollutants, such as PFAS, fluoride, heavy metals, and salts, through the use of a 9-stage filtration
method. By using lead-free materials and adhering to NSF/ANSI 58 guidelines for lowering TDS , it ensures the removal of
numerous pollutants, including chlorine, and produces safer and healthier drinking water.
Saltwater Pool System
Compared to swimming in the ocean, swimming in a saltwater pool is an entirely
unique experience. Regarding water sanitation, these pools are similar to traditional chlorine pools, but they
don’t have an unpleasant chlorine stench or irritate skin or eyes. Such systems use a salt chlorine generator,
also called a chlorinator, which converts the chloride in salt meant for swimming pools into chlorine through
electrolysis, as an alternative to adding chlorine directly.
It takes more specialized equipment to complete this process. In addition,
maintenance for saltwater pools is usually less frequent - usually only once a month. They are gentler to the
eyes, skin, and swimsuits. A saltwater system has a higher initial investment, but overall operating costs are
usually lower.
The Saltwater Pool’s Development
Technology for saltwater pools has advanced significantly over time. Saltwater
pools were first made popular in Australia in the 1970s. Thanks to companies like Lectranator , they became popular in the
US around the middle of the 1980s and were later adopted in Canada in the middle of the 1990s.
Subsequent designs became more straightforward and cost-effective, whereas the
initial models were expensive and complex. These days, saltwater sanitizing is the recommended option for newly
constructed pools.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Saltwater Pools
The Benefits
A saltwater pool system requires less frequent maintenance, such as yearly thorough
cleaning schedules.
Improved water quality makes the water feel softer and has advantages for your
skin, eyes, hair, and swimwear without requiring extra salt storage.
It also offers financial benefits because pool salt is more reasonably priced and
chemical costs are lower. The system runs on standard hardware, which includes user-friendly pumps, filters, and
saltwater generators.
The Drawbacks
One of the many drawbacks of saltwater pools is their high maintenance
requirements, which include handling large amounts of salt, adding muriatic acid regularly, and continuously
monitoring the pH level.
Salt cells require periodic cleaning and inspection, and problems with the
generator or system might require professional assistance. Because salt is corrosive, it may harm the pool’s
surfaces, lighting, and equipment and cause salt rings to appear on darker surfaces, which could lower the
quality of the pool environment.
Moreover, chloramines in saltwater can cause allergic reactions or asthma and do
not completely eradicate some parasites resistant to chlorine. Decking materials and nearby vegetation may also
suffer negative effects.
High electricity consumption of saltwater pool maintenance, costly salt cells that
frequently need to be replaced annually, and a substantial initial salt expense are all associated with
saltwater pools.
Traditional Chlorine Pool
The most common, least expensive, and conventional type of modern swimming pool is
the chlorine pool, which is known to most people. Chlorine pools are recognizable by their unique smell, and
swimmers may experience irritated eyes and dry skin as a result of the chemical’s effects.
Chlorination is an essential component of their sanitation process, typically
accomplished by employing liquids, tablets, or granular substances. In order to ensure the safety of the
swimming environment, routine chemical balancing, and testing, which may occur weekly or every two weeks, are
required.
The Chlorine Pool’s Development
For more than a century, chlorine has been an essential component of swimming pool
sanitation, mostly used to get rid of bacteria and manage algae. Found in 1774, Humphry Davy recognized the
element as such in 1807. When a typhoid epidemic struck England in 1897, the country started using it to purify
water.
In 1908, bottled chlorine introduced the world to the importance of chlorine for
swimming pool cleanliness. A year later, in 1910, John Wymond Miller
Bunker ’s experiment at Brown University resulted in the first chlorination of a swimming pool. Pool
sanitation procedures began to regularly incorporate chlorine in 1910 and continued until 1950.
Subsequently, standards were updated regarding the use of chlorine in swimming
pools. Modern innovations in technology have improved the use of chlorine in pool maintenance, guaranteeing
secure swimming via automated equipment and remote monitoring.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Chlorine Pools
The Benefits
One of the primary benefits of chlorine pools is their capacity to preserve a
superior pool environment and their remarkable simplicity of maintenance.
Chlorine storage and handling are simple to handle, and the expertise required is
easily accessible, given that most pool service providers have extensive experience in chlorine pool
maintenance.
Chlorine is safe for your pool’s finishes and equipment, protecting both your
investments and guaranteeing longevity. In terms of initial costs, chlorine systems are more affordable than
their saltwater equivalents.
It also spares the pool lining from chemical deterioration, maintaining the pool’s
structure over time, because only the most basic equipment - filters and pumps - is required for running the
pool.
The Drawbacks
Some drawbacks of chlorine pools include the requirement for frequent maintenance;
weekly adjustments to the chlorine content and regular shock treatments are required to control the growth of
algae.
For safety, there are requirements when storing chlorine. Pool environmental
effects can also be negative; chlorine can aggravate skin and eyes, aggravate asthma and allergies, and fail to
eradicate parasites resistant to chlorine.
In addition, the cost of maintaining the necessary amounts of chlorine, along with
any additional chemicals, can run anywhere from $300 to $700 per year. Additionally, the process of emptying and
restocking the pool may require a large amount of water. Last but not least, adding chemicals to the pool still
requires manual labor if one does not purchase a chemical controller.
Final Words
The choice of what kind of pool depends on the specific situation, from the cost,
the frequency of use of the environment, and other factors from the comprehensive considerations, but the safety
issue is always in the first position we need to rank.
Contaminants Detected in Fruitland Water
Special
Service District
30
Contaminants
EXCEED EWG HEALTH GUIDELINES
EXCEED EWG HEALTH GUIDELINES
30 Total Contaminants in Your Water
Water Provider
Fruitland Water Special Service DistrictPopulation Affected
120,000Water Source
Ground waterExceeds Guidelines
Others Detected