I am currently writing an undergraduate thesis on pneumonia-causing bacteria found in public pools in relation to how these facilities practice proper maintenance procedures and further on, how to develop these rituals. I just want to determine if the effect of chlorine is weakening in the extermination of these microorganisms in order to better understand how to adapt and modify the current standard of disinfection techniques.
There is evidence that in high chlorine environments bacteria with greater resistance to chlorine are selected for. Does that mean they are genetically altered? Not necessarily.
Bacteria have so far not evolved a resistance mechanism that allow them to proliferate in planctonic state in swimming pool with the recommended level of free chlorine. Some bacteria have always had the ability to form biofilms that can grow in contact with chlorinated water and use the nutrients in the pool water.
For this reason swimming pool regulations prescribe both mechanical and chemical preventive measures:
- Mechanical measures are the scrubbing and (underwater) vacuuming of the bottom and sides of the pool basin together with sufficient backwashing of sandfilters using a high water return flow that can fluidise the sand completely while scouring with air.
- Chemical measures including keeping organic matter and phosphate concentrations low in pool waters to starve the developing biofilms as much as possible. Some also consider periodic treatment with higher concentrations of chlorine or chlorine dioxide part of the biofilm prevention routine.
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