At Marlins Swim School, the health and safety of our swimmers are paramount. We’ve invested in a state-of-the-art ultraviolet (UV) sanitation system, working in tandem with chlorine, to provide a clean and healthy swimming environment.
What Is a UV Sanitation System?
A UV sanitation system uses ultraviolet light to disinfect water by neutralising bacteria, viruses, and other harmful microorganisms. As water passes through the UV chamber, it’s exposed to UV-C light, which damages the DNA of germs, preventing them from reproducing and causing infections.
UV treatment is highly effective at targeting and neutralising even the most chlorine-resistant organisms, such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia, providing an extra layer of protection for our swimmers.
The Role of Chlorine in Pool Sanitation
While UV light neutralises microorganisms at the filtration point, chlorine provides essential ongoing protection throughout the pool. Chlorine acts as a residual sanitiser, remaining active in the water to kill bacteria, viruses, and algae introduced between swimmers.
Key benefits of chlorine include:
- Continuous disinfection: Chlorine maintains a consistent level of protection, ensuring that any new contaminants are promptly addressed.
- Oxidising organic matter: It breaks down organic contaminants like sweat and body oils, keeping the water clear and clean.
- Preventing the spread of illnesses: By actively killing new germs introduced into the pool, chlorine helps prevent the transmission of waterborne diseases.
Maintaining appropriate chlorine levels is crucial.
How Quickly Are Germs Neutralised?
The effectiveness of our dual sanitation system lies in its rapid response to contaminants:
- UV Sanitation: UV systems can achieve a 99.9% inactivation rate of harmful microorganisms in a single pass through the UV reactor.
- Chlorine Disinfection: Chlorine’s efficacy depends on the type of microorganism:
- E. coli: Killed in less than a minute.
- Hepatitis A virus: Approximately 16 minutes.
- Giardia: Around 45 minutes.
- Cryptosporidium: Can survive for up to 10 days in properly chlorinated water.
These timeframes highlight the importance of combining UV and chlorine treatments to ensure comprehensive protection against a wide range of pathogens.
Reducing the Risk of Illness
Our integrated approach to pool sanitation significantly reduces the risk of recreational water illnesses (RWIs). By combining UV and chlorine treatments, we:
- Enhance disinfection: Addressing germs from multiple angles ensures a more thorough sanitation process.
- Reduce chemical usage: UV treatment lessens the need for high chlorine levels, resulting in softer water that’s gentler on the skin and eyes. We keep our chlorine levels to a modest 2.3ppm to ensure it is gentle on our little swimmers skin but provides optimum sanitation.
- Provide continuous protection: The combination ensures both immediate and ongoing disinfection, offering peace of mind to swimmers and their families.
In addition to our advanced water treatment system, we adhere to strict hygiene protocols and conduct routine water testing with a quality water testing device to maintain the highest safety standards.
At Marlin Swim School, we’re committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all our swimmers. Our advanced UV and chlorine sanitation system ensures that every swim is as safe as it is enjoyable.
