Total Alkalinity - the key to good water quality

Of all the water chemistry parameters a commercial pool operator manages, total alkalinity is arguably the most important — and the most frequently misunderstood.

Total alkalinity acts as a chemical buffer for pH, resisting the rapid fluctuations that make pool water unstable, unpredictable, and expensive to manage. When total alkalinity falls outside the correct range, pH becomes difficult or impossible to stabilise — leading to increased chemical consumption, equipment wear, swimmer discomfort, and the risk of failing water quality tests.

Get total alkalinity right, and everything else becomes easier.

In this 15 minute video course, Andrew Gaffey - one of the UK's most experienced commercial pool water treatment specialists — explains clearly and practically:

• What total alkalinity is and why it is the single most important foundation of pool water quality management

• How total alkalinity interacts with pH, and why you must address alkalinity before trying to correct pH

• What the correct target range is for commercial pool water, and how to test for it accurately

• The most cost-effective strategies for raising or lowering total alkalinity

• How maintaining correct alkalinity levels reduces overall chemical consumption, protects plant and equipment, and improves energy efficiency

Whether you're a pool plant operator trying to get on top of persistent pH problems, a pool manager looking to reduce chemical costs, or a facility owner wanting to understand what your team should be doing — this course gives you the knowledge to make an immediate, practical difference to your pool water quality.

Presented by Andrew Gaffey