www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk
WaterTesting FEB 2012 SPN
67
Regular testing of pool water is essential to know how to treat water – and not an option. In 2012, technology continues to add greater accuracy to the analysis results. Often the problem however is matching the right product to the size of the task
By Alan Lewis
t may sound obvious but the control of the quality of water in a swimming pool dictates what it looks like and how safe it is. And if you don’t test the water regularly and accurately you won’t know how to treat it. There are no excuses for not correctly, regularly and precisely testing the quality of swimming pool water.
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Pool water testing products are sophisticated and accurate, offering applications and budgets for every pool operation. In 2012 technology continues to provide further options as manufacturers refine and improve their products
WHY PH LEVELS ARE SO CRITICAL
Many assume free chlorine is the most important parameter when testing water. If the pH level is too high, the chlorine simply will not work. Instead, bacteria will flourish and swimmers will be put at risk of serious infection.
The optimum level for pH in a pool is around 7.2. If, however, the level rises significantly above this, free chlorine becomes inactive and will not work. The danger is that it will still show as being present in the water. For example, a free chlorine level of 3ppm would indicate that the pool is safe and protected for swimming. However if the pH has risen to around 9 or 10, the chlorine will be unable to function, bacteria will start to thrive and the water will become unsafe for swimming.
adding more refinements and great accuracy. The good news for pool owners is that none of the many options for testing are wrong. It is rather that some are just more appropriate to what accuracy you are looking for, what you need to measure and whether the results need to be recorded.
Traditionally, readings were made using a colour
“The good news for pool owners is that none of the many options for testing are wrong. It is rather that some are just more appropriate...”
comparison system, such as the Lovibond 2000+, which is still widely used. The ‘fixed colour’ glass comparator gives accurate and reliable testing even in the more high-tech environment of 2012. The importance of testing water in public pools has driven the need for more accurate and objective systems. The photometer was born and today offers features such as single button operation; full waterproofing; memory and download; and covers all the essential pool water tests.
Regardless of the systems and products now available, whether it is a tablet, strip or a digital option, the benefit is they all eliminate the ‘guesswork’ as to what state pool water might be in.
What still worries the industry however is that some service professionals are hesitant to use them, perhaps because they don’t understand how the systems work.
Regular, careful pool water testing is essential: routinely checking the levels of various parameters is crucial for bather safety and comfort, supporting pool plant maintenance and controlling the usage of pool chemicals. The move to these more sophisticated and accurate swimming pool test kits has had one objective – providing a quality of test results normally associated with laboratory analysis by trained technicians.
That target is possible. Some testing products
on the market are produced by international companies such as Palintest, Hanna Instruments, the Tintometer Group Lovibond, Sword Scientific , Hach Lange and ITS Europe among others who provide quality testing instrumentation for other parts of the water industry, colour and pharmaceutical trades.
Therefore the right product is out there in the market to suit all needs.
The problem tends to be how to pick the method correctly which most suited to your needs. The criteria includes:
• What sort of tests you want – which parameters are you looking to measure?
• Chlorine (or bromine for spas), pH values and alkalinity should be the minimum requirements.
• The more discerning analyst might want to test for Balanced Water – Langelier Saturation- Index.
• What accuracy are you looking for? • What is the budget for testing the water? • Do the test results need to be recorded for potential audits?
• Staff training is a big issue – so who is doing the testing – and where?
• How easy is the system to pass on if new staff are employed?
Trade association SPATA has been keen to promote regular, careful pool water testing. A SPATA Technical Bulletin stresses to members what needs to be done and how. Colin Day, Sales Manager at water testing specialists Lovibond Tintometer and a member of the Institute of Swimming Pool Engineers wrote the bulletin. “The standard of water testing in the industry is generally good when you get the right people being able to understand what they are doing. There is a problem when new people come into an operation who don’t understand why and what to test. You can get a situation when testing is passed on to someone like a lifeguard to do at the last moment and that’s when it gets to be a problem. We feel it’s important to raise the profile of water testing not just for our benefit but for the whole industry.”
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