The Signal Mountain Town Pool is switching to a saltwater chlorination system this year. Town Parks and Recreation Director Jarred Thompson said cost savings are the main reason for the switch.
The $67,000 saltwater chlorination system will pay for itself within five years in saved maintenance costs, he said.
The cost of bleach and acid for the traditional pool chlorination system is around $15,000 per year. The new system uses an in-house chlorine generator to take salt and convert it to liquid bleach at a cost of around $4,000 a year, he explained.
Thompson added that pool users may notice that the water is a bit “softer” with the new system.
“It doesn’t give you that dried-out effect,” he said.
The new system should be installed within about a month, and installation will not require a pool closure.