When the Customer Complains About Sanitizer

rashA pool tech services a pool where the tenant has a chlorine sensitivity. The tenant insists as little chlorine possible in the pool and the pool tech maintains a 0.5 PPM chlorine residual but the tenant is still complaining.  He has discussed alternate sanitizers and has explained that bromine would be difficult to do in this situation.  Furthermore, ozone would require an additional low level of sanitizer so that would likely not work if they he has a problem with the barely measurable residual of chlorine as it is.

The pool tech is asking if he should drop this account.

ANSWER

You have a challenging situation here.  As you know the industry standard for sanitation is Sodium Hypochlorite kept a level of 3-5 ppm.  A pool tech maintaining levels less than this accepted standard could be liable for damages if a spa user contracted e Coli, folliculitis, staphylococcus or other water borne bacterial infections.  But you have a customer that has advised you that maintaining the pool at this level is harming him.  So you have a no- win situation.  You are not able to do your job as required.

This is an account that I would drop.  Notify the owner in writing informing them that the tenant objects to the required minimum level of sanitizer.  Explain that complying with the tenant’s request would put pool users at risk.

How would you handle this situation as the pool tech? 

1 Comment

  1. Marty

    Could it be that the ph is low causing the itch? Chlorine makes ph rise, since he’s not using that much maybe he’s just estimating incorrectly. Could be the home owner has other skin issues or maybe they are just complainers in general. Don’t take it personal, they complain to everyone, mechanic, landscaper, waiter, etc.

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