Bacteria levels in saltwater and chlorine pools

A comparison of bacteria levels in saltwater and chlorine pools.
Madison Robinson
Grade 7

Presentation

No video provided

Hypothesis

 

I think that salt water will have more bacteria because chlorine pools go through less processing to clean the water and salt water pools go through a long process so therefore, I think that saltwater will have a higher amount of bacteria.

 

Research

In a short interview with a employee at Glenmore aquatic center, a saltwater pool, I found out why they use saltwater. They use salt because it is a safer way to clean and get chlorine for both patrons and staff; the salt is also reusable. There are special machines that turn salt into a type of chlorine to use. Therefore their water is salt used as a chlorine like cleaner. I also found that their salt is not as intense as ocean saltwater. For example, Ocean salt water helps you float in public pools they don't have enough salt to make you float. You also can't feel the pool salt like you can in ocean water. The taste and smell is also not as strong.

In an interview with a city of Calgary manager I gathered information on why they use chlorine and how they test their pool water. They use chlorine because chlorine is a stable chemical available in different forms and from different places, chlorine is one of the safest and most effective means of sanitizing water. For testing, they send the water to the province where they test it every week and the pool itself tests its water four times a day to check pH levels and chlorine they check how much chlorine you have in the pool and how much chlorine is left to go in the pool and how much you have used. Some bacteria are resistant to the chlorine such as Bacillus, Mycobacterium and Tsukamurella.

 

 

Variables

Some of the water was collected before the pool opened and others when the pool was packed 

Procedure

To clean the containers i used one spray of dawn power wash rub it around and rinses it out. Lids wash front, wash back and leave to air dry. I put the name of the pool and saltwater or chlorine. i used agar agar powder to make agar plates i put them under a grow lamp for 3 weeks taking a picture each day at 8:15 pm and then examined the bacteria under a microscope.

 

Observations

  • Day One: No visible bacteria in samples
  • Day Five: Bacteria becomes visible in some samples 
  • Day Ten: All samples except the control have have visible bacteria growth 
  • Day Fifteen: Bacteria growth increases in all samples. The control does not display any bacteria growth. 

Analysis

I think that the bacteria that is growing is Bacillus, Mycobacterium and Tsukamurella because they are immune to chlorine.

Conclusion

So far the evidence points towards saltwater pools having more bacteria than chlorine pools.

Application

That way people know how much bacteria is actually in pool water and how different pools have differing amounts of bacteria.

Sources Of Error

  • I was required to turn the grow lamp on and off overnight for the first 8 days, losing 80 hours and 247 minutes.
  • The time that some pool water waited on the shelf letting more bacteria grow in only some pool water.
  • The recipe that i used suggested using a microwave but i did not have access to a microwave so we had to use the stove instead. 


 

Citations

Bruce- City of Calgary manager at village sqaure pool 

Jennifer- City of Calgary worker at glenmore aqautic center 

Acknowledgement

Bruce a city of calgary manager at villlage sqaure aqautic center 

Jennifer a city of calgary worker at glenmore aqautic center