Water chemistry
pH
pH is a scale that shows how acidic or basic water is, and it affects chlorine strength and swimmer comfort.
pH decides how well chlorine works and how the water feels on skin and eyes. When pH climbs too high, chlorine loses strength. When it falls too low, water turns corrosive and can etch surfaces and eat metal parts.
CDC lists a pH range of 7.0 to 7.8 for public pools. Test at least weekly, and more often after storms or heavy use. If pH keeps drifting, check your total alkalinity first, because it controls how stable pH stays. Lower pH with muriatic acid or sodium bisulfate; raise it with soda ash.
Related terms
Sources
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