Water Chlorination System in Tablet Form and Its Benefits

Many households have benefited from the system of applying chlorine to drinking water. The system has made it possible for people to enjoy safer and cleaner potable water in their households. Water chlorination is being used worldwide to provide clean potable water to hundreds of communities. It has been proven to provide a number of advantages and benefits.

One of the benefits provided by the system of water chlorination is the fact that it effectively purifies and disinfects water. It has a high guarantee of killing bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants that may be present in water.

Another benefit is the price. Water chlorination, while highly effective, is relatively an affordable type of water treatment. Moreover, chlorine can be applied at very low concentrations while maintaining its effective purification properties.

Chlorine used in the purification process of water may come in different forms, such as powder or tablet form. In many rural communities, tablet chlorines are most often used. They are known to be more economical and more effective in disinfecting water. They offer strong residuals in the distribution system, making them practical for use in water reservoirs meant to supply water to large communities.

How Chlorine Tablets for Drinking Water Work

Chlorine tablets often cause a chemical reaction when they are applied to water. Once they dissolve, they have the tendency to turn into hyperchlorous acid. This transformation allows the chlorine to kill the bacteria, viruses, and other harmful organisms that are present in water. At times, chlorine tablet may not be able to kill all microorganisms present all at once. In this case, the dissolved chlorine turns into “free chlorine”, where it floats and continues to disinfect and sanitize the water, making it cleaner and safer for drinking use.

After sometime, all the “free chlorine” may turn into gas especially when the water is constantly exposed to sunlight. In this instant, the sanitizing power of the chlorine tablets for drinking water may disappear and another dose may be applied.

A: Chlorine tablets work in conjunction with a dispenser or chlorinator to rid your swimming pool of harmful bacteria.

Q: Where can I use them?

A: The tablets can be used in swimming pools, spas, Jacuzzis. Indeed any body of water where multiple persons are going to be swimming or sitting in.

Q: Where can I buy them?

A: Numerous online stores stock these supplies. Please see the post Where to Buy Chlorine Tablets for more detailed information.

photo credit: teammarche

Q: Are chlorine tablets harmful?

A: Despite scare stories in the press claiming chlorine in swimming pools is related to a number of ailments, these have never been proved. Indeed, chlorine has been used as the main cleaning agent for swimming pools in the US for many years now and no hard evidence has ever been produced.

Q: Do I need any additional materials?

A: You will need at least a dispenser to use the tablets properly. Some people prefer a chlorinator, however, it’s a matter of personal preference. Whichever method you decide to use, always read the instructions carefully.

Q: Are there any alternatives to using chlorine to sanitize my swimming pool?

A: Ozone has traditionally been used in some areas of Europe for years now, however, the infrastructure is not in place in the US for large public pools and it would be considered too costly for private users.

Q: How will I know how many to use?

A: This will depend on the size and volume of your pool. Always read the manufacturer’s instructions and use a yard stick if necessary to measure your pool.

Q: Are chlorine tablets dangerous?

A: Not if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Also never let them come into contact with family pets or small children.

Q: How much do they cost?

A: For up to date pricing, click on to any of the websites listed on the post Where to Buy Chlorine Tablets. Tablets nowadays can be bought for very reasonable prices. For a comprehensive price search, try using a shopping comparison site like Kelkoo, NexTag or BizRate to give you a good look at the prices on offer. Tablets usually come in a large bucket and volume discounts, coupon codes and free delivery may be available on some websites, so keep your eyes open and you may pick up a bargain.

Happy swimming! We hope this FAQ has been of interest to you.

Doheny’s Water Warehouse offers free next day delivery on selected swimming pool chemicals and boasts savings of up to 50% when compared to retail prices. They have a very wide selection of pool chemicals available and the website is well designed, pleasing to the eye and easy to navigate. Their top selling products are; Super Shock, Concentrated Algaecide, 3 Inch Chlorine Tablets and the Swimming Pool Chemicals Start-Up Value Kit.

Swimming Pool and Hot Tub Supply has a more text based website layout when compared to Doheny’s traditional e-commerce product based layout. The design is clean and conforms to the smaller 800×600 screen regulations as opposed to the previous website’s 1024 x 768. This online store also offers free shipping and has a clearance corner for any bargain hunters.

photo credit: chris_hau

Best Buy Pool Supply has a very basic rather old-fashioned text based layout, however, it does have a Macafee secure badge for the online shoppers peace of mind as well as offering live customer assistance. Best Buy Pool Supply also offers free premium warranty support on most products.

In the Swim claims to be America’s number one source for pool supplies and also offers $10 instant savings when using a home page promotional code on purchases over $50.

Tri-State Wastewater Equipment has a large selection of items available and the website has a traditional e-commerce layout with lots of products on display. The website assures users they can shop with confidence and displays a number of authorized secure certificates for the online shopper.

In summary, there is an abundance of online stores to buy your chlorine tablets and swimming pool maintenance supplies from. It’s really just a matter of shopping around and finding a site where the price is right for you and you are happy with delivery rates and speeds. As with most online stores, you will probably find a favourite and stick to that. Don’t forget, customer service should also be taken into consideration, especially when ordering more expensive items. The discerning online shopper can also use an online shopping comparison website such as Kelkoo, NexTag or BizRate to compare prices, but be aware that these sites are not necessarily displaying the best prices on the web. They are only displaying prices from stores who have paid to be on their site. As well as this, preference is sometimes given to merchants who pay more money. Having said that, shopping comparison sites may be a good starting point for your swimming pool shopping.

With the use of chlorine so prevalent and entrenched in the industry, any alternative would have to seriously prove itself as being much more beneficial to people’s health. It would also have to be economically viable and proven to be as effective in de-sanitising water as chlorine.

photo credit: Clask Magazin-e

Personally speaking, this author uses a filtering system for drinking water at home and can genuinely tell a marked difference between filtered and non-filtered tap water. The non-filtered water has a distinct chlorine smell to it whereas the filtered water is completely odourless, and hence more pleasant to drink. The question is, is it more beneficial to my health to drink the filtered water. I certainly prefer to drink the filtered water and on gut feeling, I ‘m sure that it’s much better for me and my family to drink filtered water.

With reference to the dangers of chlorine in swimming pools, I distinctly remember returning from swim club on a Thursday night with my eyes stinging for a couple of hours after a swim. Whatever it was they did, I can only presume that either the system wasn’t working properly at that time, they had got their chlorine levels wrong, or there was a dangerous imbalance in the pool’s ph levels at this time. Anyway, my eyes were fine the next morning and it didn’t bother me again. This example does raise the question however, what would this sort of exposure to someone who was say, a professional swimmer spending hours on end in the swimming pool?

The most credible alternative to chlorine is ozone. The current unpopularity of ozone use in swimming pools in the US is manly due to the unsuccessful early applications of the technique ten to fifteen years ago. American pools, having been geared to using the chlorine system of disinfecting, were not suited to the ozone system and therefore, the practice proved not only ineffective, but also very expensive. There is no doubt that ozone is a cleaner, safer and more environmentally friendly method, but engineers, architects and swimming pool owners will need to crack their heads together and develop a method for delivering this solution.

The element chlorine has the atomic number 17 and appears in the periodic table between Sulfur and Argon. Chlorine was first discovered in the sixteenth century and is today one of the most widely used chemicals in both residential and industrial settings around the world. Chlorine is the most widely used method of disinfecting swimming pools in the world today, although there are other, less popular methods available on the market.

Chlorine’s natural form is a yellowish gas. Chlorine is a hazardous chemical to deal with and must be handled with caution at all times. In the specific application of being used for the cleansing of swimming pool water, chlorine usually comes in tablet or granulated form. The manufacturer will always provide very detailed instructions on how to use said chlorine tablets and these must be followed to the letter.

photo credit: rharrison

Chlorine gas has previously been used in 20th century warfare, most notoriously in the trenches of the First World War. The use of chlorine gas in warfare was pioneered by a German scientist named Fritz Haber of Berlin’s Keiser Wilhelm Institute and was first used by German forces in 1915 . It was subsequently used by both sides before being replaced by the more lethal mustard gas. Chlorine gas has also been used in conflicts in Iraq in the form of chlorine bombs and caused horrendous casualties.

Some adverse health effects of chlorine gas include coughing, vomiting and aggrivation to the respiratory system and eyes. Chlorine’s most devastating feature is that it can change to hydrochloric acid when coming into contact with water, which is obviously why it causes so much damage when breathed in.

It should be stressed however, that when used in controlled conditions, chlorine and chlorine tablets represent a robust and cost-efficient method of disinfecting swimming pools, spas and such like and the benefits far outweigh the small risks associated.

Chlorine is used as the standard disinfectant agent in both municipal and privately owned swimming pools throughout America and the world. Chlorine tablets dissolve quickly without leaving any nasty residue.

Tub of 3 Inch Chlorine Tablets

They are highly effective in making your swimming pool a safe and fun place for your family and friends to enjoy themselves and keep fit. Whether you’re lounging around enjoying the sun with a cocktail or in training for the next Olympics, the safest tried and tested method of keeping your pool free from germs is to use chlorine.

Chlorine tablets perform a number of vital tasks and are a crucial part of your swimming pool maintenance program. Chlorine will do the following for yor swimming pool;

• Kill bacteria ensuring your water is bug free for swimmers
• Prevent algae growth on or around your pool
• Keep your pool and surrounding area clean (as part of your regular cleaning schedule)
• Maintain a satisfactory PH level in your water

Most chlorine tablets on the market nowadays are extremely safe and easy to use. You will not have to come directly into contact with any chlorine or other dangerous chemicals. All that is required on the swimming pool owners part is that they drop the tablets into the water in the pool with the aid of a tablet dispenser where they will dissolve quickly. The pool will be ready for use very shortly after the addition of the chlorine. Chlorine tablets are an extremely economical and hassle-free method of ensuring that your pool is safe to use.

Some important points to take into consideration before utilizing the tablets to ensure your clean swimming pool are as follows;

• You will be required to know the length and breadth of your pool.
• You will need to know the depth of your pool and from this work out the volume of water that it holds.
• As with any sort of chemicals, getting the balance wrong could be potentially dangerous. For these particular swimming pool chemicals, too much chlorine could result in breathing difficulties for swimmers or nasty rashes appearing on the skin. It can also cause the eyes to become very irritable.

photo credit: Jim Sneddon

To avoid any of the nasty eventualities above, simply ensure that you always read the packaging and use the correct quantities as specified by the manufacturer

Always use a tablet dispenser. Dropping the tablets directly into the pool can cause undesired results including discoloration and damage to your pool. A dispenser effectively allows the chemicals to dissolve safely.

Test you water at least once a week. Get into a routine, perhaps designating one day a week to pool cleaning and maintenance.

Above all, chlorine tablets are designed so that you can safely enjoy your swimming pool – so have fun!