Swimming in the summer time is one of the most enjoyable activities for pretty much everyone. Who doesn’t look forward to cooling off in the swimming pool, barbecues with friends or swimming laps? Swimming pools can be an absolute blast when the water is clear and the chemistry is perfect but what happens when algae starts to grow or diseases form in the water that are invisible to the naked eye? Unfortunately, there are a variety of diseases that are waterborne and can easily affect someone who swallows even the smallest amounts of water. Most people are concerned with public pools but unless it’s only you that swims in your pool there’s no guarantee that someone doesn’t pee in the pool. So whether or not you’re a pool owner or someone who loves to swim in public swimming pools, it’s up to you to make sure you take all the precautions necessary in making sure the water you swim in is “healthy”.
Types of Waterborne Diseases
- Campylobacteriosis is a bacterium with symptoms of diarrhea, abdominal pain and fever.
- Cholera is a bacterium with symptoms of muscle cramps, vomiting and diarrhea.
- Cryptosporidium is a bacterium with symptoms of diarrhea, stomach cramps, upset stomach and slight fever.
- Shigellosis is a bacterium with symptoms of bloody stool, diarrhea and fever.
- Typhoid fever is a bacterium with symptoms of fever, headache, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and an abdominal rash.
Out of all of the above the most common waterborne disease in swimming pools is Cryptosporidium. All it takes is one person with diarrhea to affect an entire pool even with adequate chlorine levels. If you’re swimming, it’s extremely important to not swallow the water, pee in the pool or touch anything that can affect you with the waterborne disease. If you’re sick or have a weak immune system it can make the chances of you catching it that much greater which means it’s better if you don’t swim.
In the Dallas area, you have a couple of options if your swimming pool is affected with any waterborne bacteria. You can drain the swimming pool or recycle the water instead. If you choose to drain the swimming pool and it’s handled incorrectly, it could have an adverse affect on the water quality in other waterways. Typically, if you drain the swimming pool into the storm drain system the water and all the chemicals in it not to mention the bacteria will affect the nearest creek, river, or lake. With that being said it can be very dangerous for everyone else.
As an alternative Weber Pools recommends using our “Puripool Process” which actually recycles the swimming pool water and will also destroy the bacteria as well. This is the safest action not only for the city but provides you with the cleanest possible water for your swimming pool free of any contaminants. It uses a process called Reverse Osmosis (RO), which is extremely common in the home to provide drinking water. The process is mobile, will lower calcium hardness, total dissolved solids, cyanuric acid, remove bacteria and so much more while conserving 85% of the water in the pool. It’s the safest way to not only change the water in the swimming pool but also provide you with the best swimming experience as well.
If you have any questions on how the “Puripool Process” can benefit you and your swimming pool, please don’t hesitate to contact us today at 1-817-481-7665.