Dan's Papers - May 9, 2008 - Taking the Plunge Into Saline Pools

Swimming pool owners who strive for eco-friendly living are increasingly jumping into saline pools. Saline, aka saltwater, pools require less chlorine than traditionally maintained pools, and the small amount used can be produced by the pool's own equipment rather than imported from a chemical supply vendor, which makes for water that's more environmentally sustainable. However, the advantages of a saltwater pool go far beyond being kind to the planet. Personal comfort and health are foremost in the minds of many consumers when choosing saline, which offers soft water free from the chemical spikes and ebbs that characterize the maintenance of a traditional pool.

Chlorine is a synthetically produced substance not occurring in nature, and is created by sending a man-made electrical current through natural salt water. While some level of chlorine is needed to banish algae from pool water, the level of the chemical used by a saline system is substantially smaller than the amount needed for traditional water maintenance. Although the exact percentage varies depending on the pool size and type, all conversions to saline result in a tangible reduction in the chlorine levels that impact swimmers every time they use the pool.

Just as environmentally important as the reduction in the amount of chlorine a saline pool requires is the change in how and where that chlorine is created. The small amount of chlorine that is required to maintain a saline pool is created on-site, by the pool's own equipment, which includes a built-in mechanism which is set to perform constant, low-level electrolysis on a portion of the water during filtration. This altogether eliminates the need for the chlorine manufacturing plants that supply and package the chemical. These plants can be heavy polluters with negative ecological footprints, so opting for a built-in chlorine creation system rather than relying on outside factories is a smart ecological move.

Ken Rafferty of Amagansett's True Blue Pool Cleaning Service, which offers saline installation, conversions to saline pools, and saltwater maintenance, points to the fact that a system that generates its own chlorine provides not only a green alternative for homeowners, but offers a substantial advantage in terms of swimming comfort. In addition to the lower chemical levels overall, the chemical regularity and evenness that saline systems provide is a crucial part of the attraction. Regular pools are serviced once every week or so with a visit from a professional who adds a sudden influx of chlorine to the water, which then depletes gradually until the next visit and the next chemical surge. With a saline pool, Rafferty says "You have 1 to 2 parts per million of chlorine every day, it stays the same every day, and you don't have these big spikes." Although saltwater clients are still the minority of his customers, Rafferty says those who have chosen the saline system are happy with the results. "The water is softer on your skin", he adds, "because the chlorine level doesn't spike as much." That means less irritation to swimmers' eyes and skin, less damage to hair, and even less wear and tear on swimsuits.

The maintenance demands of a saline pool, although different from those of a manually chlorinated pool, are still present, and require careful attention from a professional adept at tracking the water's saturation index. Left unchecked, a saline system can result in runaway chlorine levels, or even corrosion or scaling in the pool. In the case of an unexpected algae invasion, additional chlorine must sometimes be manually added to battle the infestation. An important part of keeping up a saline pool is regulating the amount of salt in the water, which can require some tinkering. The goal is 2600 parts per million, which gives the water just under 1/3 the salt content of human tears.

Homeowners looking to take a trial dip in a saline pool before diving into converting their own water can drop by the Gurney's Inn Resort, Spa, & Conference in Montauk for a swim. Gurney's has a heated indoor saltwater pool, filled by a pump that draws water directly from the sea. Visitors can enjoy the king size, two lane pool for the price of a $28 day pass, which includes full access to all the Gurney's luxury spa facilities. Gurney's staffer Cheryl Hartsough says the resort has opted for saltwater over chlorination because "It's so much healthier for the body, rather than just chlorinated water." She goes on to emphasize the health benefits of the "natural minerals and ions" that flourish in saltwater, a reminder that while chlorine reduction makes environmental sense, sometimes what's important about a swimming pool isn't just what's missing, but what's there.