Let’s Consider Your Options for Water Sanitation
Traditional pool and spa water purification has been accomplished through chlorine and acid combinations, and this is still the most widely used method. However, there are multiple other options available for water sanitization.
Each has its advantages and ideal applications but regardless of the choice, proper equipment selection, installation and maintenance are required to make your investment worth the cost.
CONTACT US for a brief consultation and we can recommend the right options for your property.
Ozone
Some research would suggest that the secret to the best pool water is ozone - the most natural and effective way to purify water. Ozone destroys bacteria, viruses and other water-borne contaminants up to 3100 times faster than chlorine without producing any odor, burning eyes or hazardous by-products associated with harsh chemicals.
Additionally, this approach to pool water purification is environmentally friendly, leaving no harmful chemical by-products in pool water. Chlorine and other harsh chemicals can keep one from enjoying the pool completely. It dries the skin, burns the eyes, nose and throat, and can adversely affect your health.
Today’s pool owners are more aware than ever of the inherent dangers of chlorine and its reactive by-product, chloramines. They want better alternatives to achieve a safe, clean pool.
CWT pool systems (ClearWater Tech Ozone Systems) act effectively both as an alternative and as a complement to chlorine and other chemical disinfectants in swimming pools, fountains and spas. CWT’s ozone systems deliver water that is comparable to a bottled water. It does this by providing the most powerful oxidation commercially available.
Clearer, cleaner water.
Complete sanitation.
Superior oxidation.
No residue or chemical by-products.
No measuring, monitoring or handling of chemicals.
pH neutral.
Some research would suggest that the secret to the best pool water is ozone - the most natural and effective way to purify water. Ozone destroys bacteria, viruses and other water-borne contaminants up to 3100 times faster than chlorine without producing any odor, burning eyes or hazardous by-products associated with harsh chemicals.
Here are some links for you to explore ozone treatment further:
Two Initiatives to Make Pool Water Safer
Ultra Violet (U.V.) Systems
UV light systems have long been used in water features, fountains, water gardens and koi ponds. They have become increasingly popular in portable spa applications as well, in recent years.
For swimming pool applications, one of the biggest benefits is the dramatic reduction in chemical usage, specifically chlorine; the goal being a minimum of 75% to 80% reduction in the chemical load of the pool. It affects the water in a positive way without adding or taking anything from the water. In a way, it is a benign treatment system as there is zero impact on pH, total alkalinity, calcium hardness and total dissolved solids. In the Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley areas, this is a crucial element as our water is already over ideal parameters for all those variables.
The above factors create a beneficial synergistic effects - A reduction in the demand for sanitizers and therefore a reduction in chlorine based byproducts that contribute to odors, cloudy water, skin and eye irritation. More importantly, UV has been proven effective in killing pathogens that have shown resistance to chlorine. This benefit has helped drive UV's popularity and acceptance among health departments and public health agencies such as the Center for Disease Control.
Like all sanitizing technologies, UV has its limitations and must be sized and maintained properly to achieve the desired benefits. Systems need proper design and integration, lights that do not generate the required intensity or size will do very little to clean the water. There is a huge difference in price between units that effectively kill bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms, and those that are merely decorations. Flow rate and filter run time of the system is critical in setup and maintenance for new and retrofit systems.
Additionally, even though the main benefit is lowered sanitizer/chlorine levels, even the biggest supporters of the technology recognize the need for UV systems to be used in conjunction with some other form of a sanitization that provides a chemical residue. The UV system, when on, switches between ‘no bather protection’ to ‘bather protection’. When the system is off the system does nothing at all, making at least a small quantities of sanitizing products necessary.
You can explore more about U.V. Systems here: DeltaUV Ultraviolet Solutions.
Mineral Ionization
Mineral sanitizers are effective killers, and like ozone and UV they reduce a pool’s dependency on chlorine. The chlorine residual can be kept at low levels of free and available chlorine.
Mineral sanitizer systems like Nature2 contain a combination of silver and copper, each with a specific purpose. The silver oxide is the sanitizer; it will kill microorganisms in the water by interfering with the DNA of organisms. Copper is a very effective algaecide.
A key difference with minerals is that the silver and copper leaves residues. And while ozone is an effective oxidizer and UV is a capable sanitizer, neither can attack organisms that don’t come into contact with them. So, like the other water treatment systems, this method too requires a small level of chlorine sometimes, but when used properly and in conjunction with other water treatment options, it can greatly reduce the minerals, if not eliminate chlorine use or dependency.
To explore about mineral ionization, please explore these links:
Chemical Automation
Water treatment in swimming pools and spas is designed to protect the health and comfort of swimmers and bathers. The primary objective is to prevent the growth of germs and bacteria by maintaining a safe level of sanitizers (chlorine, bromine and/or ozone). The most dangerous threats are E. coli in pools and A. Pseudomonas in spas. They both can cause fatal diseases. Numerous studies by health departments in many countries have shown that the Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP or Redox) generated by the sanitizer is the most reliable indicator of both sanitizer activity and sterilization of germs and bacteria – this test is far superior to conventional test kit measurements.
Chemical automation systems can be used as stand-alone systems that self-monitor and feed, on an as needed basis. But they have real value when used in conjunction with most alternative water treatment systems, as a backup or simply to help measure overall water quality and safety.
Key parameters that can be maintained automatically with CHEMTROL® controllers are listed below.
ORP CONTROL With chemical automation, the ORP level of the sanitizer in the water can be constantly monitored with an electronic sensor. A simple and inexpensive ORP sensor and control center maintains the proper ORP level automatically by addition of small amounts of sanitizer when (and only when) it is needed to maintain safe sanitation.
pH CONTROL The activity of the sanitizer is strongly affected by the acid/base balance in the water, which is measured as pH. Different models and units monitor the pH of the water simultaneously with an electronic sensor and add the proper amounts of acid or base when needed.
FREE CHLORINE CONTROL The new PPM Sensors from ChemTrol Systems allow direct measurement of free chlorine concentration in ppm (parts per million) or mg/l (milligrams/liter). These, sensors which are slightly more expensive, measure actual free chlorine concentration instead of free chlorine activity as measured by the ORP sensor.
To explore chemical automation, please explore this link: Santa Barbara Control Systems - ChemTrol
Salt Water Chlorine Generation
Salt-water chlorine sanitizing systems use salt water and low voltage electrical current to generate chlorine and deliver high-performance water sanitation with quality performance, reliability and hydraulic efficiency.
Many salt water systems, such as the Jandy Aquapure, include some or all of these features:
Automatic self-cleaning feature ensures consistent operation and extended lifespan of the cell.
Tri-Sensor technology provides reliable electronic water flow detection to sustain maximum performance, even at very low flow rates.
Digital salinity reader provides accurate salt-level indication.
Flow, temperature and status readings provide instant feedback on the current operation.
Communication with pool and spa automation control systems enable easy monitoring of salt levels and convenient, precise sanitizer output settings.
Key features in implementing and maintaining salt water chlorine generation to sanitize pools are:
Understanding the process of electrolysis and the additional by-products that are produced other than chlorine and how those affect water chemistry.
Monitoring and adjustment of pH, alkalinity, salinity and total dissolved solids to maintain neutrally balanced water conditions.
Realizing that such systems are not self-sensory and self-adjusting, they will at times require the addition of supplemental chemicals, proper monitoring and adjustment of sanitizer production.
Following a program of manufacturer's recommended maintenance procedures in a timely manner.
To know more about salt water chlorine generation, read here: