Nottaway Swim Club Summer 2008 Frequently Asked Questions

The NSC Board

Who are the members of the NSC Board?
The NSC Board members are a group of pool members within our neighborhood who have an active interest in ensuring the pool continues to thrive within the community. Through the efforts of this group, along with many other volunteer members, we are able to continue to operate and improve NSC.

Are the members of the Board compensated?
No. All members of the board are volunteers (paying full membership dues) and put in countless hours throughout the season to ensure the facility is up to par and improving. Why? We ask ourselves that question many times throughout the season and off-season. It really comes down to the fact that we enjoy the facility and feel it is an asset to the community. The facility provides a great opportunity for neighbors to relax, exercise, compete on swim team, cookout and in general, get to know each other.

How can I get more involved in the pool?
If you would like to help out, ask a board member or lifeguard or post a message through the website 'contact us' page. There are many ways that you can help: NSC events, swim team, landscaping, painting, plumbing, maintenance, and opening or closing of the pool season. Of course, just picking up a little trash from the grounds or offering to fix something that needs fixing is a much appreciated as well.

How do I provide feedback or a suggestion?
We are always open to suggestions or feedback. Please use the contact us form on this website and we will find the appropriate person to respond.

Saline System FAQ? What is a Saline System?
Simply put, the saline system is a chlorinator that generates chlorine from the electrolysis of salt in the water. So, we are replacing our tablet chlorinators with an automated system.

Why a Saline System at Nottaway?
Many pools in Atlanta are starting to install Saline Systems. In addition to being a healthier system for the eyes, hair, skin, clothing, etc., the saline system is also easier on pool operations and equipment. It tends to leave a smooth feeling on your skin.

Why does the water taste salty?
By definition, the saline system uses salt to generate the chlorine. However, the company that installed our system, Thursday prior to Memorial Day weekend, put too much salt (4500 parts per million rather than 3000ppm) into our pool. Although you will still taste some salt in the water, it should not be as strong as it is now when it reaches the preferred levels - which can only be achieved by draining off water. Since we are in a drought, we are slowly draining off water as needed to clean filters.

The 'preferred salt level' is close to the saline concentration which naturally occurs in our eyes and skin, and therefore, should be more comfortable to swim in.

General chemical FAQ

What is Combined Chlorine (the bad) versus Free Chlorine (the good)?
Chorine, whether produced by a chlorinator that uses chlorine tablets or one that uses electrolysis to breakdown salt (NaCl), is used in pools to kill off germs and other contaminants. Free chlorine (FC) is chlorine that is still available in the water to cleanse. When chlorine combines with ammonia (sweat, urine, sunscreen, and similar), however, it forms chloramines and is often termed combined chlorine (CC). This chlorine can lead to irritation of the skin, respiratory problems and more if the concentration is not kept at a minimum.

Total Chlorine is the measure of the combination of Free and Combined chlorine.

TC = FC + CC

In the big pool, NSC maintains a free chlorine level between 1.5 and 4 parts per million (ppm) and strives to keep combined chlorine below 0.5ppm, as recommended.

What is 'shocking' the pool?
When combined chlorine is greater than 0.5ppm, we shock the pool with enough free chlorine to remove the combined chlorine. The level of shock required is determined by targeting a free chlorine level that is 10 times the combined chlorine level. (e.g. a pool with CC=0.5ppm, requires FC=5ppm). This is termed the breakpoint, or the point at which the combined chlorine drops to 0ppm. If that breakpoint is not achieved, higher levels of combined chlorine may result. For example, the following situation may occur with several failed attempts trying to reach a breakpoint:

Test Reading #1: CC=0.5 ppm.
Perform shock and miss target of FC=5ppm.
Test Reading #2: CC=1.5 ppm
Perform shock again and miss new target of FC=15ppm.
Test Reading #3: CC=4.5 ppm
and so on…

Shocking the pool usually leaves the water crystal clear, but at higher free chlorine levels that burn off throughout the following day. Throughout the season, NSC typically performs shocking on a night in which the following morning will allow the most time for vacuuming chlorine residue and chlorine levels to subside (e.g. Saturday night).

What is pool balance?
For a pool to be in balance, chlorine, pH, Total Alkalinity and Calcium Hardness need to be kept within acceptable ranges.

Who maintains the chemical balance?
For many years, Nottaway Swim Club has been maintained by the operations manager on the Board and the lifeguards. Over the last couple years, most of the responsibility has been on the operations manager. This year, we have some fantastic returning guards who are learning how to make chemical adjustments under the guidance of the operations manager.

Why did the pool have to close?
The health of our swim club community and guests is our number one concern. We try to make most adjustments after closing time. On occasion, we may not be able to maintain a healthy pool without closing for a short spell to introduce chemicals in excess of those usually applied. This was the case during the week of Memorial Day.

Over the 3 weeks prior to Memorial Day Weekend, attempts to hit the breakpoint of the combined chlorine were apparently failing and the problem was compounded with mixed test results. Test readings from both our test kit and the pool store's test of our water sometimes indicated high CC and sometimes no CC. The pool water was clear and most members were content prior to the Memorial Day Weekend. However, on Saturday, May 24, our opening day, heavy use resulted in a lot more contaminants being introduced to the pool. At the recommendation of the pool supply store, we shocked with non-chlorine shock in high concentration, which again was not high enough to reach the breakpoint of the CC.

We started getting a couple reports of irritated skin and eyes. We called a professional to assess the pool on Tuesday, May 27, and they didn't show. Talking to parents on Tuesday, we realized the problem was more widespread than we originally thought. On Wednesday, May 28, we consulted a professional, who recommended closing the pool and performing a large shock treatment and continuing to increase that shock treatment to eliminate the combined chlorine. CC dropped to an acceptable range by Thursday morning, but the free chlorine levels were not acceptable, testing at 0ppm. Chlorination with both the saline system and the tablet chlorinators was initiated and eventually took effect in the evening on Thursday, May 29. The pool was rebalanced and opened on Friday and Saturday, but the CC levels started to rise again slightly.

We consulted a second pool professional on Friday night, May 30 and they recommended hitting the pool again with a significant dose of free chlorine to break the ongoing cycle of good versus bad chlorine, commonly referred to as 'chlorine lock'. We waited until Saturday night, May 31, to perform the task in hopes of rebalancing the the pool the morning of Sunday, June 1. Arriving that morning, it was obvious that we would not be able to open the pool, for the water was like chlorox, a milky white, and you couldn't see more than a few inches beneath the surface of the water. We are currently waiting on the chlorine and cloudiness to burn off or filter out.

Was this a result of the saline system?
No, this problem was developing before the system was installed. The salt in the pool just added one more variable to the mix.

My kids have a stomach bug or diarrhea. Is this a result of the pool? This symptom is not something we would expect as a result of this situation. The free chlorine levels remained at a level that should have killed off most bacteria quickly.

My kids have been coughing after being at the pool. Could this be related to the combined chlorine problem? Yes, there might be a connection. Combined chlorine in high concentration can cause irritation and burning in the respiratory passages. From reading on the web, these symptoms should subside after removing the child from the pool area, but we are not medical experts and would like to hear from you. If you feel the timing was right, please notify the guards or the board through the online email form with detail on when the symptoms occurred and keep us posted on any doctor diagnosis or recommendations. Also, please note: there have also been some flu-like symptoms going around that even those not using the pool have experienced.