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Recent reports linking swimming in chlorinated pools with an increased risk of cancer have led many pool owners to begin exploring alternatives to chlorine for keeping their pool clean and sanitized.  These reports are not conclusive and focused on a rise in blood markers for cancer rather than increased cancer rates. The authors admit that much more work needs to be done before a causal link between chlorinated swimming pools and cancer can be established.  However, there are other problems with chlorine such as causing dry skin, bleaching bathing suits, and aggravating asthma and other health conditions.

Fortunately, there are chlorine alternatives that can greatly reduce the amount of chlorine needed to keep your pool clean and sanitized.  Salt generators and ozone generators are two commonly uses systems that allow the pool owner to safely use much less chlorine.

With a salt generator, salt is added to the pool to increase the salinity to a low level.  The salinity level is a fraction of the level in ocean salt water and is even much lower than the salinity level of human tears.

The saline water flows though a cell where electrical current runs through the water to convert the salt into sodium hypochlorite which kills bacteria and other compounds in the water before reverting back into salt. A salt generator does not eliminate the need for traditional chlorine levels, but allows the level of chlorine in the pool to safely be maintained at a much lower level.

A pool equipped with a salt generator does not have that strong chlorine smell and the water feels better.  Dry skin and itching associated with chlorine are also reduced.  A salt generator can be somewhat expensive to install, but they greatly reduce the amount of chlorine that has to be stored and handled.  If you want to reduce the chlorine level in your pool while keeping it clear and fresh, talk to your pool service contractor about installing a salt generator.