What is the purpose of breakpoint chlorination?

Breakpoint chlorination is a specific process aimed at eliminating chloramines, which are combined forms of chlorine that can lead to unpleasant odors and irritation to swimmers. The primary purpose of breakpoint chlorination is to oxidize these inorganic combined chlorines, effectively reducing their levels in the water.

When free chlorine is added to water that already contains combined chlorine, there is a certain threshold, known as "breakpoint," at which enough chlorine has been added to completely oxidize the combined chlorines. Once this point is reached, the remaining chlorine in the water becomes free chlorine, which is effective in sanitizing the pool and maintaining safe water quality.

Although reducing bacteria levels and enhancing the pool's aesthetic might be secondary benefits of effective chlorination, they are not the primary focus of breakpoint chlorination. Likewise, increasing swimming capacity does not address the specific issue that breakpoint chlorination targets—namely, the removal of combined chlorine. Therefore, understanding that the primary goal is to reduce inorganic combined chlorine gives clarity to the practice and purpose of breakpoint chlorination in pool maintenance.