There is a very good reason why you should get out of a swimming pool. That reason is a very particular smell, a chemical smell. It means the water is unsafe and you could be sick.
Swimming season in the pool has begun! When summer sets in and the heat becomes overwhelming, there is nothing more refreshing than diving into the water of the pool. Whether it is to swim laps, play with friends, relax on a floating mattress or simply cool off, the pool becomes the heart of summer, a place of sharing and relaxation that delights young and old alike.
But be careful, be wary of a strong chlorine smell. You tell yourself that all swimming pools smell of chlorine, and that it’s normal, that it’s a sign that the water is clean and disinfected. This belief is totally false. It’s a sign that it’s better to get out of the water to avoid getting sick. Correctly dosed chlorine in a swimming pool has no smell and does not sting the eyes. If you smell chlorine in the pool, it’s because it lacks chlorine. We’ll explain.
Chlorine is commonly used in swimming pools to kill bacteria and other pathogens by forming a weak acid called hypochlorous acid. It targets harmful bacteria like E. coli and salmonella and others that can cause viruses like diarrhea or swimmer’s ear. The chlorine used in swimming pools actually produces no odor, which is the ideal and healthy condition for swimming. But what is that chlorine smell you get when you go to the pool?
It turns out that it’s not chlorine you’re smelling, but chloramines. These are formed when chlorine combines with organic matter, such as sweat, urine, and body oils. When chloramines are present in high amounts, the effectiveness of chlorine in killing bacteria and viruses is reduced. A strong chlorine smell therefore indicates a high concentration of chloramines, which means that the pool water is contaminated and may not be as clean as it should be.
This can pose health risks to swimmers, including skin infections, eye irritation, and respiratory problems, and can even cause diarrhea. The worse or more chlorine-like a pool smells, the less chlorine it has, which is a telltale sign that more chlorine needs to be added to disinfect the pool.
A strong chlorine smell should therefore alert you, stop swimming and adjust the chlorine levels. Regularly monitor chlorine levels and adjust the water chemistry to ensure effective disinfection. In public pools, you can alert the lifeguards if the smell seems really too strong.