Basic Pool Operation
The basic operation of a swimming pool requires an understanding of its structural components, systems, and the day-to-day actions required to ensure a healthful environment.
Components/Systems
A swimming pool is an artificial basin of water designed primarily for recreational or competitive swimming. Most swimming pools consist of 5 structural components and automated systems:
- A basin
- A circulation system (pump, inlets, outlets, and plumbing)
- A filtration system
- A chemical feeder
- A heater
These components and systems work together to maintain a clean, refreshing, healthful aquatic environment with good water quality free from bacteria and particulate matter. The following sections and links give more details:
- How swimming pools work (How Stuff Works)
- The ultimate swimming pool quiz (How Stuff Works)
- Irritants (chloramines) and indoor pool air quality (CDC)
- Keeping water play areas and interactive fountains clean (CDC)
- Maintaining your swimming pool (Lowe’s) - this is for backyard pools but I like it anyway - 5 parts, etc.
- Maintaining your swimming pool (wikihow)
- Operating a public swimming pool (CDC)
- Public swimming pool maintenance (eHow)
- What a pool operator needs to know (Northwest Michigan Health Dept)
Maintenance
Even with the best pool equipment, circulation/filtration systems, disinfectants, etc., a swimming pool requires the care of a dedicated pool/maintenance staff as well as conscientious pool users to be as clean as possible. Maintenance is a broad term that can be used to describe all the efforts made to improve swimming pool water quality.
- Bather hygiene
- Bloodborne pathogens cleanup
- Cleaning procedures
- Basic care
- Decks
- Pool walls
- Rails and ladders
- Tiles
- Disinfection protocols after contamination
- Pool equipment
- Chemical feeders/additives
- Circulation/filtration
- Drains/Drain covers
- Sump
- Recreational water illnesses (RWIs)
- Safety during maintenance work
- Testing pool water
- Troubleshooting water quality problems
- Common water quality issues
- Flocking
- Shocking the pool (also see “disinfection protocols after contamination” above)
- Using chemicals to lower chlorine
- Vacuuming
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