UPDATED: Nov 01, 2019.
Is it safe to swim in green pool water? Green pool water is as refreshing as blue pool water, even on those hot days.
And don’t people water ski and swim on greenish lakes or ride oceans waves infested with marine algae or walk over river rocks covered with algae?
So, why not just swim in green pool water?
Contents
Reasons You Should Swim
Pools Aren’t Ponds
There is a huge difference between lakes and pools, one that makes it fine to swim in green lakes but not green pools. Swimming pools are closed water bodies, and other than regular water refill and occasional rain, they aren’t continuously diluted.
In short, a pool doesn’t have a balanced ecosystem, like a lake or ponds with aquatic life and plants that clean the water of bacteria and toxins. Actually, you can compare a pool to a swamp near a pond.
Algae Equals Bacteria
Algae aren’t harmful by themselves (some people even eat them and are quite nutritious). However, it is what you can’t see that can make you fall sick if you swim in green pool water. What does that mean?
If your pool doesn’t have chlorine to get rid of algae, it also means that it doesn’t have enough chlorine to kill bacteria, parasites, viruses, and pathogens. These things could be dwelling in green water pools.
They can easily enter your body through a small cut or through nose, ears, throat, or eyes. The end result of swimming in your green pool could result in diarrhea, fever, ear infections, and other bummers.
Causes of Green Pool Water
There are three main causes of the green pool:
Lack of chlorine
By now you know that algae develop in a pool that has little chlorine. Algae turn a pool green after a while. You should also note that a pool full of algae can be a heaven for insects and mosquitoes, buy more critical it’s unsafe to swim in.
0xidized Metals
Oxidized metals, mainly copper will turn your swimming pool green. Various metals can be introduced into your pool via cheap algaecides, metal components, and acidic source water.
When you shock your pool, these metals are oxidized and if they’re in the high present, they can turn your pool water green. Furthermore, if not treated, high levels of metals can stain your swimming pool finish and turn your hair green.
Excessive Pollen
Airborne pollen are quite small for the filter to remove them. As they build up in your pool and settle, they give the water a yellow or green look. Despite its unsightly look, green pool due to pollen doesn’t cause any harm.
Conclusion
It is good to avoid swimming in green pool water. In most situations, you can easily reverse the problem by yourself with the ideal chemical and cleaning your pool. However, there are situations that you might need a professional to do it for you. Hence, let the green color despair before you allow people to swim in your pool.
