Fresh Breathe of Air at Inside Pool

Have you noticed you can breathe easier in the indoor pool? Don’t smell of chlorine for the rest of you day after a refreshing swim? It’s not just you!


Franklin District Council and Community Leisure Management (CLM) have combined resources to install an ultra violet (UV) sterilisation system at the Franklin indoor pool. While most people won’t ever see the UV system, most regular swimmers will have noticed the fresher smell to the air inside the complex as well as many other health benefits.


“The UV system’s main purpose is to reduce the amount of chloramines in the pool complex. Chloramines cause that distinctive, and at times overwhelming, chlorine smell that customers would often ask about. Chloramines can also cause sore eyes or irritated skin and create a very corrosive environment for pool equipment which is why you may notice rust on metal inside the pool complex,” says Franklin District Council’s Property Manager, Gwyn De Arth.


People have been noticing the change. CLM staff report that the new UV system is even making the pool accessible to people who before would not have been able to swim due to the high chloramines levels. One boy from a local primary school couldn’t take part in swimming because of a chlorine allergy – he now happily takes part with no reaction.


Local group, Accessible Aquatics, swim weekly at the pool and the volunteers and participants in the groups have only good things to say about the new UV system.


“Everyone is enjoying it and all have commented on the fact there is no smell anymore,” says volunteer Elaine Brown.


One member of the group had to stop attending because he was having a skin reaction to the chlorine.


“He’s come back into the pool and is really enjoying it,” says Elaine.


Franklin District Council invested $100,000 in the UV system and CLM $15,000. The impacts of the system have been felt beyond the immediate issue of swimmer comfort. CLM has told Council that the UV system is keeping the water cleaner for longer and where they once had to dump water every week, the water, which travels through the UV system every three hours, has remained good for over a month.


“The UV system still requires the use of chlorine although the impact is greatly lessened. If you have stayed away from the indoor pool because of the chlorine and are wondering if you should give swimming a go, do come and talk this over with pool staff,” says Gwyn.