AFTER THE DISASTER
Without electricity to filter and vacuum
pools, that shimmering lagoon in your backyard can turn into
a fetid mosquito haven. To maintain reasonable water quality
while you wait for the power to be restored or for pool maintenance
personnel to fix damage to the pumps or filtration systems, follow
these steps:
- Remove all debris from the pool.
- If there's dirt on the bottom an inexpensive
device called a "Leafmaster" might help. The Leafmaster,
which attaches to a pool brush handle, uses a garden hose to
blast dirt or sediment from the bottom into a collection bag.
It probably won't be much help if there's lots of mud, sand or
sludge in the pool.
- Add a chlorinator, as in the form of a
10 percent sodium hypochlorite granules commonly known as "Shock".
- Unless you must use pool water for cooking
and drinking, Super chlorinate the pool according to the manufacturer's
instructions. Doing so will restore the water's familiar
color, but the pool will still appear cloudy.
- Maintain the water in it's super chlorinated
state, until electricity is restored or help arrives.
- DON'T ALLOW ANYONE
IN THE WATER WHILE IT'S STILL SUPER CHLORINATED! The generally safe level of chlorination
for swimming is 1 to 3 parts per million.
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