Swimming Pool Water in Mafraq City in Northern Jordan: Quality Evaluation

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of swimming pool water in Mafraq city, north of Jordan and the overall quality of the used water. Three public swimming pools were selected from Mafraq city [Areef Pool (SW1), Teachers Club Pool (SW2) and Anakeel Pool (SW3)] to analyze the physical, chemical and biological properties of their water as well as determine their compliance with the Jordanian Standards for Swimming Pools Water. Sampling was carried out weekly for eight successive weeks between July and August 2019 before bathing (after disinfection) and after bathing and analysed in Al al-Bayt University and Ministry of Environment laboratories. The parameters used to evaluate the quality of water in swimming pools were temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), residual chlorine (Cl2), total organic carbon (TOC), trihalomethanes (THM), major cations and anions, selected heavy metals, and total coliform bacteria, E. coli and Pseudomonas. Most of the physical and chemical parameters analysed were within the recommended limit except for pH and EC. Residual chlorine exceeded the permissible limits in SW3 before and after bathing, recording mean values of pH, EC (4.3 ± 0.25 - 4.33 ± 0.44), (2314 ± 343 - 2453 ± 460), respectively. The dissolved oxygen was less than the recommended limit. Total coliforms, E. coli and Pseudomonas counts were < 1 before and after bathing in all the samples.

Keywords

• swimming pools, water quality, residual chlorine, total organic carbon, trihalomethane, total coliforms