Heat wearing on pools as well as people

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - As the oppressive heat continues for another week in Kansas, many people are seeking relief at the pools, but aquatic facilities or backyard oases aren’t themselves immune from the hot temperatures.

“With the heat, we see an increase of the need for chemicals in the pools,” said Dave’s Pool Store Manager Megan Ray.

Earlier this week, part of Kenwood Cove Aquatic Park in Salina closed for a short time after the heat impacted the chlorine in one of the pools.

Ray said the chlorine level is first and foremost when it comes to pools.

She said, “That’s your sanitizer for your pool. It helps kill the bacteria. Keep your pool clean and clear.”

Pools also require a delicate balance of pH (determining the acidity or basic of the water) and stabilizers so the chlorine remains consistent. If the chlorine levels get too high, it’s not safe for swimming. If pH is out of balance, that’s what can cause eyes to sting and skin to feel itchy.

When those levels get out of balance, Ray said it becomes a large harder to return them to equilibrium.

Ray said, “If you’re not keeping your chlorine up, you’re definitely looking at having some algae growth, you’re looking at having cloudy water and you’re looking at a lot of money to get that chlorine back to where it should be.”

That’s why testing is critical.

Ray said people should test after hot days, rain storms and a heavy swim load.

Dave’s does watering testing at their store, where people can bring in a sample from their pool and have results in minutes.

“Along with a plan of how to treat any issues that come up,” said Ray.

She also said pool owners also need to keep an eye on proper circulation (running at least eight hours a day) and filtration (cleaning the skimmer basket daily and checking the filter) in order to ensure the pool stays clean.

Reaching out to the City of Wichita Wednesday, they said there haven’t been any of the heat-related issues impacting the chemical levels at the aquatic facilities. They test all the pools and splash pads multiple times a day to make sure they are safe and compliant.

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