Healthy, Modern Alternatives to Chemically Treated Pools

When I was growing up, summer was an endless stream of dives and floats in a bevy of swimming holes. Some were the back ponds of farmland - dark, muck-bottomed waters shared with mild-mannered, legless creatures. But mostly the watery escapes were the chlorinated pools of community recreation centers and neighbor’s backyards – clean, sanitized containers glistening in an unnatural blue.

When my teeth began chattering and my eyes were red, it seemed the summer day had been spent wisely. In retrospect, the endless chemical loaded dips seem about as sensible as clock painters twirling radium-zinc laden paintbrushes on their tongues in the 1920s.

Chlorinated pools have been the standard in the United States, an industrial solution to the nasty natural bacteria and pathogens that breed in untreated water. Shocking nature out of the lap lane seemed to make sense, after all what’s a little chlorine exposure compared to cholera or dysentery?

Still, many people don’t like chlorine pools and with good reason - chlorine is a health hazard. Chlorine and chloroform found in chlorinated pools are easily absorbed into the body through the respiratory tract or skin. Irritation of eyes and skin are discomforts many of us have endured in trade for relief from a hot summer day.

But studies reveal that the effects of swimming in chlorinated pools are more serious than many people realize. There is mounting evidence that swimming in chlorinated pools can trigger asthma in children, cause birth defects or increase the risks of cancer.

The issue is not so much the chlorine itself, but what happens when chlorine interacts with organic materials such as leaves, dirt or even sweat. For instance, when chlorine mixes with urine or sweat the harmful gas nitrogen trichloride is released.

This substance was the focus of a Belgian study that found exposure to nitrogen trichloride compromises the cellular barriers of the lungs. The research found that in children aged 6-7 and 13-14, the instances of asthma increased with swimming pool availability.[1]

Other harmful compounds are created when chlorine mixes with organic matter, like leaves. The mix creates compounds that have extremely toxic legacies, like Dioxin, a human carcinogen and component of Agent Orange.

Fortunately, collective knowledge has evolved past the chemically clinical definition of a swimming pool. Although chlorine systems are still embraced by many homeowners, healthier pool cleaning processes offer chlorine-free options.

One alternative to disinfecting with chlorine is to use a silver-copper ion generator. This water sterilization technique was first developed by NASA to enable water recycling on long space missions.

An ion generator passes a low DC current between silver and copper electrodes. The process releases positively charged silver ions into the water which attract and kill bacteria by rupturing the bacteria cell membrane. These “biocidal” ions disinfect water.

This chlorine-free alternative is becoming increasingly popular in healthcare facilities like hospitals and nursing homes, in large commercial buildings that require sterile clean rooms, in indoor architectural elements like fountains and for chemical-free water supply in the organic food industry.

Silver-copper ion generators allow disinfection of water, significantly reduce the amount of chlorine needed, lower maintenance and materials costs and eliminate the health hazards of chlorinated water.

Dr. Andrew Weil, the world’s leading proponent of integrative medicine, recommends that consumers explore alternatives to chlorine disinfection. On his website, Dr. Weil advises:

"If you or your children do use chlorinated pools, consider wearing a mask and snorkel to protect your eyes from the irritating effects of the chlorine in the water. After swimming, leave the pool area and inhale fresh air to flush the gas out of your system. Shower quickly and thoroughly to wash it off your skin."[2]

In his own pool, Dr. Weil uses a silver-copper ion generator noting that “chlorine disinfection of water is obsolete.”

A recent New York Times article (“From Europe, A No-Chlorine Backyard Pool” by Steven Kurutz 4/5/07) took an in-depth look at natural swimming pools - naturally cleansing biorentention systems that are lined with rubber or polyethylene.

Natural pools rely on natural processes to cleanse water. They resemble ponds but the water is clearer and there isn’t the mucky, muddy bottom. They are a very distant cousin of the clinical chlorinated pools found in most American backyards. In a natural pool, vegetation is welcome and part of the cleansing system. As are skimmers and pumps that move the water across “regeneration” zones filled with natural elements like vegetation, rocks and gravel.

Natural pools require less chlorine than the amount commonly found in drinking water. They offer a unique opportunity for homeowners to incorporate natural biological processes into their landscaping and recreation with little sacrifice. Even unwanted vegetation, like algae, can be controlled without chemicals by using ultraviolet sterilizers.

Natural pools have had a better reception in Europe. In America, industry manufacturers, retailers, contractors and building certification groups have yet to give natural pools much consideration.

There are only a handful of natural pool contractors in the United States but as awareness grows about effective alternatives to chlorinated pools health conscious consumers might catch on and embrace the benefits of natural pools.

There are some tried and true examples of non-chlorinated public pools in the U.S. The Highlands Natural Pool in Ringwood, New Jersey, is an Olympic size, stream-fed, chemical-free swimming pool set among the poplars and evergreens of Norvin Green State Forest.

Another example is the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables, Florida, a decadent splash carved from an old rock quarry in 1924. The Venetian Pool is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and is the largest freshwater pool in the United States. The pool uses massive amounts of fresh water but recycles and refreshes the water using natural ground filtration which allows the water to percolate back into the aquifers.

Although chlorinated pools remain the standard in American backyards, the health hazards make them an outdated choice. The alternatives of silver-copper ion generators and natural pool systems not only offer relaxing recreation without chemical exposure, they’re an attractive way to incorporate natural processes and beauty into every day living.

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