Where's the chlorine?

[chrisinva]

Before the pools were closed, I swam at Spanish Moss. It was always enjoyable to get to the pool & encounter the smell of chlorine; it brought back some great childhood memories.

After the pools re-opened, I started swimming Everglades but never smelled the chlorine. Thinking they didn’t add enough chlorine and it might not be clean water, I went back to Spanish Moss. No chlorine smell there!


Does anyone know if the pools are missing chlorine? Are the facilities people adding a different type of bleach/cleanser to sanitize the water? thanks

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

I certainly hope so

[GoodLife]

Before the pools were closed, I swam at Spanish Moss. It was always enjoyable to get to the pool & encounter the smell of chlorine; it brought back some great childhood memories.

After the pools re-opened, I started swimming Everglades but never smelled the chlorine. Thinking they didn’t add enough chlorine and it might not be clean water, I went back to Spanish Moss. No chlorine smell there!


Does anyone know if the pools are missing chlorine? Are the facilities people adding a different type of bleach/cleanser to sanitize the water? thanks

Not sure which pools in TV are salt water or if/when they changed but:

Saltwater pools use salt to generate chlorine, but do so in a way that does not irritate your eyes, dry out your skin or smell

[bluedivergirl]

We use Bromide in our hot tub. It is easier on my skin.

It's more expensive than chlorine, though. Doesn't matter in a little hot tub, but pool after Villages pool ~ Don't know if that would work.

[photo1902]

Not sure which pools in TV are salt water or if/when they changed but:

Saltwater pools use salt to generate chlorine, but do so in a way that does not irritate your eyes, dry out your skin or smell

The Villages pools are not saltwater

[GoodLife]

The Villages pools are not saltwater

That's why I said not sure, perhaps they are using chemicals like bromide.

[Altavia]

A saltwater pool uses a salt chlorine generator.

This means that instead of adding chlorine to the pool water, you add salt, and the generator converts it to a form of chlorine to disinfect the water. It’s called a saltwater pool due to adding salt to the chlorine generator water at a level high enough to allow the machine to function.

Primary advantages of a saltwater pool:

Clear, smooth water
Lower annual cost
No chlorine smell
Gentle on skin and eyes

What is a Saltwater Pool? Chemistry, Lifespan, Cost, & More (https://www.riverpoolsandspas.com/blog/saltwater-pools)

[Bjeanj]

It sounds like you’re going to have to ask at the rec center.

[New Englander]

In the Sanibel pool I frequent I don't think they use Chlorine. But, you can be sure that TV is using something in the water to kill bacteria.

[tophcfa]

Without all the group aerobics and water volleyball the sports pools have never been cleaner. They don’t have to super chlorinate the pools with just lap swimming and light water walker use.

[Bogie Shooter]

Before the pools were closed, I swam at Spanish Moss. It was always enjoyable to get to the pool & encounter the smell of chlorine; it brought back some great childhood memories.

After the pools re-opened, I started swimming Everglades but never smelled the chlorine. Thinking they didn’t add enough chlorine and it might not be clean water, I went back to Spanish Moss. No chlorine smell there!


Does anyone know if the pools are missing chlorine? Are the facilities people adding a different type of bleach/cleanser to sanitize the water? thanks

If you REALLY want to know....



District Property Management
The District Property Management Department is responsible for upholding the aesthetic, physical and environmental assets of the District by maintaining the District’s physical assets and infrastructure.
Sam Wartinbee, Director
sam.wartinbee@districtgov.org

[gadaboutgal]

Without all the group aerobics and water volleyball the sports pools have never been cleaner. They don’t have to super chlorinate the pools with just lap swimming and light water walker use.

The amount of ph and chlorine levels should not vary by the number of users or their activities. A good chlorine level is between 1.0 and 4.0 parts per million (ppm), while the pH should be between 7.2 and 7.8. Together, they keep bad bacteria at bay: If pH goes up too high, chlorine's germ-killing power deflates. These levels should be tested everyday with a small chemical kit.

[Marathon Man]

You could always buy some test strips and test the water yourself.

[B767drvr]

Before the pools were closed, I swam at Spanish Moss. It was always enjoyable to get to the pool & encounter the smell of chlorine; it brought back some great childhood memories.

After the pools re-opened, I started swimming Everglades but never smelled the chlorine. Thinking they didn’t add enough chlorine and it might not be clean water, I went back to Spanish Moss. No chlorine smell there!


Does anyone know if the pools are missing chlorine? Are the facilities people adding a different type of bleach/cleanser to sanitize the water? thanks

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you're NOT smelling chlorine, you're smelling chloramines (BAD). A properly sanitized pool has no smell.

"Pool smell is due, not to chlorine, but to chloramines, chemical compounds that build up in pool water when it is improperly treated.

Chloramines result from the combination of two ingredients: (a) chlorine disinfectants and (b) perspiration, oils and urine that enter pools on the bodies of swimmers. Chlorine disinfectants are added to pool water to destroy germs that can give swimmers diarrhea, ear aches and athlete's foot. Perspiration, oils and urine, however, are unwanted additions to pool water. By showering before entering the pool, and washing these substances from the skin, swimmers can help minimize pool smell."

Chloramines: Understanding “Pool Smell” (https://chlorine.americanchemistry.com/Science-Center/Chlorine-Compound-of-the-Month-Library/Chloramines-Understanding-Pool-Smell/)


Here's info on how chlorine is produced in "saltwater pools".

The Definitive Guide to Salt Chlorine Generators (https://www.swimuniversity.com/salt-chlorine-generator/)

[wisbad1]

A saltwater pool uses a salt chlorine generator.

This means that instead of adding chlorine to the pool water, you add salt, and the generator converts it to a form of chlorine to disinfect the water. It’s called a saltwater pool due to adding salt to the chlorine generator water at a level high enough to allow the machine to function.

Primary advantages of a saltwater pool:

Clear, smooth water
Lower annual cost
No chlorine smell
Gentle on skin and eyes

What is a Saltwater Pool? Chemistry, Lifespan, Cost, & More (https://www.riverpoolsandspas.com/blog/saltwater-pools)
We used UV system, very little chemical used. Little chlorine back up, acid. Very low maintenance, have pool 5 years

[JSR22]

We have a chlorine pool. T&D tests the water and cleans the pool weekly. There is no chlorine smell.

[coffeebean]

The Villages pools are not saltwater

What ever The Villages uses to filter their pool water, the water does not ruin my bathing suits or burn my eyes or dry out my skin or take the coloring out of my hair. Chlorine does all three of those things. Yikes!!! I'm glad The Villages employs some other kind of system besides adding chlorine to the pool water to keep their water filtered and crystal clear clean.

I have read on this forum that The Villages pools are salt water which turns the salt into chlorine to sanitize and filter the water. If this is true, there is no odor of chlorine and the harmful effects that chlorine causes.

Now.....cruise ships hot tubs will ruin my bathing suit in about two weeks flat due to the chlorine in the water. I still use their hot tubs but never take a good bathing suit with me.

I have been using The Villages pools since 2013 and have never detected the smell of chlorine. The pools I have used are Duval neighborhood pool, Seabreeze sports pool, Colony sports pool and Lake Miona sports pool. I can not speak to any other pools in The Villages as I have not been in them.

[champion6]

For goodness sakes, there are 90+ pools in TV. They were built over a long time. Do you really think that everyone of them has the same chlorine-generation system installed. I'm not sure, but I don't think so. Yet most posters seem to imply that they are all the same.

[Topspinmo]

Not sure which pools in TV are salt water or if/when they changed but:

Saltwater pools use salt to generate chlorine, but do so in a way that does not irritate your eyes, dry out your skin or smell


I think the all use the salt? It’s not as strong as old chlorinated pools when we were younger.

[Alycyn]

TV pools are salt water

[MIskra]

At the Resident Academy that I attended last year, when asked, John Rohan said that all pools in The Villages are chlorine pools. I have never smelled chlorine at any of The Villages pools, so they must be doing it right (no surprise).

[Cparker]

The pools in Feney are most definitely salt water pools.

[Bethwill]

When I had my pool, I was told that if you smelled chlorine, it meant that your pool was losing it. I had chlorine in first pool and changed to Frog system in second (in ground) pool. Very expensive but saved on eye burning and bathing suits fading. Less maintenance also.

[hootie1126]

If you can smell chlorine that usually means there's too much chlorine in the pool.

[Rodneysblue]

At the Resident Academy that I attended last year, when asked, John Rohan said that all pools in The Villages are chlorine pools. I have never smelled chlorine at any of The Villages pools, so they must be doing it right (no surprise).
Thank you, if anyone would know it is John Rohan!!!!!

[Bogie Shooter]

The pools in Feney are most definitely salt water pools.

???

[bobcat75]

chlorine has to have a MAJOR leak plan and OK'D by the county. So they are using hypochlorite. Same Chemical but safer if leaked. Sewage plants use it. They also put salt into the water you don't taste it or smell with a oxidizer . Nature does the rest

[Rzepecki]

Go to Districtgov.org and email or call the Recreation Dept. and ask. Get the real scoop. The info may already be on this website.

[sandybeachgal]

Before the pools were closed, I swam at Spanish Moss. It was always enjoyable to get to the pool & encounter the smell of chlorine; it brought back some great childhood memories.

After the pools re-opened, I started swimming Everglades but never smelled the chlorine. Thinking they didn’t add enough chlorine and it might not be clean water, I went back to Spanish Moss. No chlorine smell there!


Does anyone know if the pools are missing chlorine? Are the facilities people adding a different type of bleach/cleanser to sanitize the water? thanks


There is NO odor to a well-managed pool. When pool water smells, THAT means there's not enough chlorine in swimming pool water. Chloramines, which produce that "pool smell", result from the combination of two ingredients: (a) chlorine and (b) perspiration, oils and urine that enter pools. Chlorine is added to pool water to destroy germs that can give swimmers diarrhea, ear aches and athlete's foot. Perspiration, oils and urine are unwanted additions to pool water. By showering before entering the pool, and washing these substances from your skin, you can help minimize pool smell.

Here's how to judge if you should enter a pool:

1. Does the pool water look clear and blue? You should be able to see through the water down to the drain or stripes painted on the floor of the pool. If the water is cloudy and colored, there may be algae in it. DON'T GO IN!
2. Does the pool wall around the water line feel slimy? If it does, there are probably germs living on the wall. DON'T GO IN!
3. Is there a strong chemical odor around the pool? If there is, the pool manager may have to treat the water. DON'T GO IN!
4. The sound of pool-cleaning equipment (a pump) is a good sign!

[Jazzman]

The Villages pools are not saltwater

The one in Pinellas is. You can see the saline mix tank when walking around outside the perimeter of the pool, along side the heaters.

[rrtgolf]

They have gone to a chlorine tank system so I've been told

[boilermaker7091]

Actually if you smell the chlorine it usually means they’ve over chlorinated the pool. You should only have the odor after you get out of the pool.

[Dlbonivich]

I can assure you that without chemical the pool would be green in one day. Summer is a struggle with rain and heat to keep chemicals well balanced. No chemicals equals algae in Florida heat!

[dlb8159@yahoo.com]

If you smell chlorine that means the pump and chemicals are working hard to keep the water clean. I only smelled chlorine when I would shock my water.

[kathy1516]

As a previous pool owner for 28 years, I can tell you that if the chlorine is properly added you shouldn’t smell it. If you smell it, it’s out of balance.

[ColdNoMore]

///....It was pretty funny though. :D

[newgirl]

I thought they never used it, salt water?

[nevjudbaker]

When we had a pool I went to a pool maintenance class. I was always told if you smell the chlorine the chemicals were off. I checked my chemicals every few days or after a rain. I always kept my pool shocked & added acid when needed. My pool never smelled of Chlorine. My neighbor kept adding chlorine & didn't allow the chlorine level to drop down & she had a strong chlorine smell. After a while she had algae. Algae will grow with a constant chlorine level. Shocking the pool means let the chlorine level drop down then add a big amount of chlorine which kills the algae. The acid level needs to be corrected as well. If chemicals are off the bad water can ruin the pipes.

[Mustagotlost]

Are all the pools open? What about activities? Aerobics, volleyball, etc.?

[Bogie Shooter]

If you REALLY want to know....



District Property Management
The District Property Management Department is responsible for upholding the aesthetic, physical and environmental assets of the District by maintaining the District’s physical assets and infrastructure.
Sam Wartinbee, Director
sam.wartinbee@districtgov.org

Go to Districtgov.org and email or call the Recreation Dept. and ask. Get the real scoop. The info may already be on this website.

I suggested that in post #11.....didn't seem to work.

[coffeebean]

As a previous pool owner for 28 years, I can tell you that if the chlorine is properly added you shouldn’t smell it. If you smell it, it’s out of balance.

Did your pool water fade bathing suits and make your eyes burn?

[jimjamuser]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you're NOT smelling chlorine, you're smelling chloramines (BAD). A properly sanitized pool has no smell.

"Pool smell is due, not to chlorine, but to chloramines, chemical compounds that build up in pool water when it is improperly treated.

Chloramines result from the combination of two ingredients: (a) chlorine disinfectants and (b) perspiration, oils and urine that enter pools on the bodies of swimmers. Chlorine disinfectants are added to pool water to destroy germs that can give swimmers diarrhea, ear aches and athlete's foot. Perspiration, oils and urine, however, are unwanted additions to pool water. By showering before entering the pool, and washing these substances from the skin, swimmers can help minimize pool smell."

Chloramines: Understanding “Pool Smell” (https://chlorine.americanchemistry.com/Science-Center/Chlorine-Compound-of-the-Month-Library/Chloramines-Understanding-Pool-Smell/)


Here's info on how chlorine is produced in "saltwater pools".

The Definitive Guide to Salt Chlorine Generators (https://www.swimuniversity.com/salt-chlorine-generator/)
Very informative.

[davem4616]

the pools are safe...stop trying to second guess those that are responsible for maintaining the pools

ya can't look at it the same way you might have managed a back yard pool...come on, these guys know what they are doing

[Piomom14]

There are no saltwater pools first of all. Secondly, if you smell chlorine, it’s not being added correctly. I managed a huge city pool for almost 20 years. We went from having to add drums of liquid chlorine to finally having a computerized system that added all chemicals automatically. I used to think if I “smelled chlorine” it was a good thing. I now know differently!!

[Ramone]

Without all the group aerobics and water volleyball the sports pools have never been cleaner. They don’t have to super chlorinate the pools with just lap swimming and light water walker use.
No matter, all pools should have proper levels of chlorine in them. You can actually hear the little virus screaming as they die. No place safee than pools and jacuzzi's with chlorine in them!

[crash]

The Villages pools are not saltwater

You can generate chlorine from salt. Salt is sodium chlorine in an acid solution passing electricity through the solution makes chlorine. It is a safer way because you do not need chlorine gas or the sodium hypochlorite.

[photo1902]

You can generate chlorine from salt. Salt is sodium chlorine in an acid solution passing electricity through the solution makes chlorine. It is a safer way because you do not need chlorine gas or the sodium hypochlorite.

Thanks. Well aware of that, especially as I have a salt water pool. The question was whether or not any of the "public" pools in The Villages are cholrine, bromine or salt water pools.

[Barborv]

I also love the smell of the chlorine in a pool. But after reading the comment of why we smell that chlorine smell, I certainly won't be doing a lot of sniffing and taking it all in! LOL The school I work in has a pool and it always has that chlorine smell! Now I know why!! haha