Increased Bather Load

Hello everyone, thanks for popping by!

The days are getting warmer, the sun is setting later each day and the school year is nearly over! At Mirage, we’re excited to see more young faces during the day. We know nothing says summer like a clear, sparkling swimming pool. We know summer means kids of all ages celebrating their freedom with cannonballs and Marco Polo until the last rays of sunshine vanish from the pool – and sometimes longer! In the pool industry, we have a technical term for this phenomenon: Increased Bather Load.

What does Increased Bather Load mean for your swimming pool? Well, it means more people in the pool = More contaminants = More demand for chlorine. As fun as all these summer shindigs are, they do mean a higher risk of murky water or algae. Here’s what you can do:

1. Increase your weekly chlorine dosage. That could mean adding one extra puck to the chlorinator per week or turning up the chlorine output on your salt system by 5%-10%.
2. Test water chemistry more frequently. How well your chlorine works is very dependent on the pH level. Check once or twice a week at home, and once professionally every 7 – 12 days.
3. Shock or Oxidize after every party. Use a dose of liquid or granular chlorine, or a chlorine-free oxidizer, to burn off organic contaminants tracked in by your guests.

Follow these three steps to help keep your pool clear and sparkling despite the increased bather load. For bonus points, add a weekly dose of clarifier and algaecide! As always, pop by our store at 1800 Appleby Line for supplies, free water testing, and answers to any and all your pool questions. We look forward to seeing you!