Water Testing Overview

Why do we test water?

In a pool or hot tub the most important item is the water. Without this you have a hole in the ground or an empty container. To make sure everything is perfect the water must be tested regularly. Why are we testing?

For the

• Comfort of bathers
• Control of Contamination (sanitising the water)
• Care of the Pool, Hot Tub and associated equipment
• Cost of chemicals and control of amount added

What should we be testing for?

There are many things you can test for in the water with the most important being the sanitiser (usually chlorine or bromine) and pH. These should always be tested together and correct levels are essential to ensure the safety of the users. The main water tests are:

Disinfectant – Chlorine / Bromine
pH
Total Alkalinity
Calcium Hardness
Cyanuric Acid

But remember the first two are essential. The other tests are desirable but sometimes too much information can cloud the issue. There are many test strips that will give you all the above in one test. If you are not sure these readings are correct or don’t understand what they mean it can lead to problems. Make sure what you are testing is relevant, make sure you understand the readings and make sure they are correct

 

Keep Testing Keep Control Keep Safe