# Swimming Pools



## j4ino (Jul 23, 2009)

What is your opinion of chlorinated swimming pools? Is it safe for babies, toddlers, children, pregnant moms?


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## mamadelbosque (Feb 6, 2007)

Yes to all... Chlorine isn't the greatest stuff, but really I think the fun and exersize had in pools far outweighs the chemical exposure. That said, I prefer to swim in lakes/ponds/rivers/ocean (not that I've been in the ocean in, oh 3 or 4 years, but you know, in theory!!)... but we definetly go swimming in pools occasionally too!!


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

We do. Less chlorine is better - my parents have a salt water pool that has less chlorine than most- but agreed that the other benefits outweigh.

-Angela


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## anechka (Jul 4, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *j4ino* 
What is your opinion of chlorinated swimming pools? Is it safe for babies, toddlers, children, pregnant moms?

I would not take my child to clorinated pool. am looking to find a salt water pool but had no luck so far







I guess, it is all about money, apparently, clorination is cheaper than other methods of water purification.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Salt water pools have chlorine too. They have a chlorine generator that turns salt water into chlorine.

-Angela


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## Irishmommy (Nov 19, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
Salt water pools have chlorine too. They have a chlorine generator that turns salt water into chlorine.

-Angela

Yeah, but it's changed back to salt when it leaves the generator. There isn't any cholorine in the pool.

OP, if you are looking to install a pool, pay the little extra and go salt water. It pays for itself in lack of chemicals over time. We put in a couple of bags of salt at the beginning of the season, and that's pretty much it for "chemicals". It's always swimmable.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Irishmommy* 
Yeah, but it's changed back to salt when it leaves the generator. There isn't any cholorine in the pool.

OP, if you are looking to install a pool, pay the little extra and go salt water. It pays for itself in lack of chemicals over time. We put in a couple of bags of salt at the beginning of the season, and that's pretty much it for "chemicals". It's always swimmable.

Yes there is chlorine in the pool. My parents have one, add no chlorine but it is on their test strips- there most certainly is chlorine in the water. This is a common misconception.

-Angela


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## Irishmommy (Nov 19, 2001)

We have one, there is no chlorine in the pool.

Maybe your parents need a new salt cell?


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## savithny (Oct 23, 2005)

You only have to Google to find out that a salt-water pool does have chlorine in the water.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltwater_pool

The chlorine is generated *from* the salt. There is chlorine; there is not *chloramine.*

Quote:

As such, a saltwater pool is not actually chlorine-free; it simply utilizes a chlorine generator instead of direct addition of chlorine. The important distinction is that saltwater pools lack chloramines, referred to as Combined Chlorine. Chloramines are the irritants which give traditional pools the stigma of burning eyes and caustic smell. The electrolytic process burns off chloramines in the same manner as traditional shock (oxidizer). When chlorine levels are low in the pool, one possible cause is low salt (others can be higher-than-normal chlorine demand, low stabilizer or mechanical issues with the generator itself.) Salt count can be lowered due to splash-out, backwashing, and dilution via rainwater. Some[who?] claim that since saltwater pools still use chemical sanitization, it is possible that they generate unhealthy disinfection byproducts (DBPs) called Trihalomethanes (THMs) the predominant form being Bromoform. Very high levels of Bromoform (up to 13-fold higher than maximum levels set by WHO) have been measured in public salt pools.[1] However, it is generally understood[by whom?] that such conditions can only be found in poorly-maintained and/or heavily-trafficked pools.
(_Note: Wikipedia is Creative Commons and a quote this long is acceptable under copyright law)._


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## lunarlady (Jan 4, 2010)

I actually don't think I would swim in a public pool that DIDN'T have chlorine in the water. There are a lot of different illness that can thrive in that environment. That being said, there are different levels of chlorination. A properly chlorinated pool will not have a strong chlorine oder and will not sting when it first contacts the skin. I do not swim in pools where the chlorination is too high, as both DD and I have very sensitive skin. Otherwise, I think pools are fine for everybody, from infants to seniors. I do struggle to keep DD from drinking the water, however, because that is just gross.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lunarlady* 
I actually don't think I would swim in a public pool that DIDN'T have chlorine in the water. There are a lot of different illness that can thrive in that environment. That being said, there are different levels of chlorination. A properly chlorinated pool will not have a strong chlorine oder and will not sting when it first contacts the skin. I do not swim in pools where the chlorination is too high, as both DD and I have very sensitive skin. Otherwise, I think pools are fine for everybody, from infants to seniors. I do struggle to keep DD from drinking the water, however, because that is just gross.

ITA. All 3 of my kids (and us) swim in chlorinated pools. It doesn't worry me.


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## Adventuredad (Apr 23, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lunarlady* 
I actually don't think I would swim in a public pool that DIDN'T have chlorine in the water. There are a lot of different illness that can thrive in that environment. That being said, there are different levels of chlorination. A properly chlorinated pool will not have a strong chlorine oder and will not sting when it first contacts the skin. I do not swim in pools where the chlorination is too high, as both DD and I have very sensitive skin. Otherwise, I think pools are fine for everybody, from infants to seniors. I do struggle to keep DD from drinking the water, however, because that is just gross.

Nicely summarized, chlorine is there for a reason....


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## ewe+lamb (Jul 20, 2004)

We go to the pool; the chlorine is less than agreeable but the kids love it and so do I, here in France more and more people and I think one or two councils are installing natural swimming pools, all you need is a pump to turn the water and then the water is filtered through water plants which in turn clean the water - it's like swimming in a mountain stream - or so I believe, if we ever had the money I would without a doubt put in one of these. This will give you more of an idea - I just love it http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It...ming-Pool.aspx


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## Birdie B. (Jan 14, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lunarlady* 
I actually don't think I would swim in a public pool that DIDN'T have chlorine in the water. There are a lot of different illness that can thrive in that environment. That being said, there are different levels of chlorination. A properly chlorinated pool will not have a strong chlorine oder and will not sting when it first contacts the skin. I do not swim in pools where the chlorination is too high, as both DD and I have very sensitive skin. Otherwise, I think pools are fine for everybody, from infants to seniors. I do struggle to keep DD from drinking the water, however, because that is just gross.

Exactly! I'm very glad our local pool uses chlorine; there are way too many people using it to _not_ use chlorine! I like saltwater pools, they make my skin feel a lot better, and I wish our public pool used saltwater. I think chlorine is more dangerous when it's an enclosed pool, so the gas is trapped and you're breathing more of it. Outdoors it should be fine.

ewe+lamb : that pool looks amazing!!


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

I wasn't comfortable with a young baby being in a clorinated pool--- say before 6 months or so. If my children had particularily sensitive skin or respritory issues I would also be more hesitant to expose them to chlorinated pools (especially warm water indoor ones for the respritory issues). Of course, pools always helped my asthma so









Another vote for benifits FAR outweigh the possible issues.


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