Events and News

Mid Devon Leisure swimming pools switch to using salt

We are converting our chlorine based indoor pools at Lords Meadow Leisure Centre and Exe Valley Leisure Centre to electro-chlorination using salt. Using salt is cleaner, safer and offers a more soothing swim for our customers to enjoy when at our facilities. Lords Meadow swimming pool went live with this change earlier last week whilst Exe Valley pools will move across to the new system this week.

What is electro-chlorination?

A pool using salt is chlorinated using a special piece of equipment called a salt chlorine generator. You can use regular salt in a salt water pool. Ordinary salt is chemically made up of two elements: sodium and chlorine. When pool water comes into contact with the salt chlorine generator, the machine turns the salt in the water into hypochlorous acid, which acts to kill any germs in the pool.

Salt chlorinated pools outperformed chlorine-based pools in every aspect related to health, cleanliness, and body benefits. These are the main reason we chose a saltwater solution vs. chlorine:

Saltwater pools are better for the environment.
Saltwater pools are gentler on the skin, eyes, swimwear, and hair due to the lower chlorine content.
They don’t have the traditional heavy chemical smell many people dislike about chlorine pools.
A saltwater pool will help keep your body moisture balance and won’t strip your body and hair of natural oils. The water is softer and will leave you feeling nice and silky after a swim.
No side effects from traditional chlorination systems.
Cleaner than chlorine-based pools by nature.
Chlorine may irritate the eyes and skin, salt water will not.
Creates its own chlorine using salt through a process called electrolysis.
A more natural option than chlorine.
Enjoy more swim time - less chemicals.
Salt makes you more buoyant - look forward to smashing those PB’s.

The leisure centres are now being run on 100% renewable electricity, boosted by the solar panels on site.