Swimming Pool Terms Glossary
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Organic Refers to volatile, combustible and sometimes biodegradable chemical compounds containing carbon atoms bonded together with other elements. The principal groups of organic substances found in water are proteins, carbohydrates, fats and oils. See also organic waste.
Organic Chloramines Chloramines formed from the combination of chlorine and organic ammonia or nitrogen (swimmer waste, perspiration, urine, sweat, saliva, etc.) these are not considered disinfectants like inorganic chloramines are.
Organic Waste – also called swimmer or bather waste – All of the soap, deodorant, sun tan lotion, lipstick, makeup, cologne, body oils, sweat, spit, urine, etc. brought into the water. They also form chloramines which are foul-smelling and they are body irritants. Requires large amounts of chlorine or non-chlorine shock to destroy.
Orifice An opening (hole) in a plate, wall, or partition.
Orifice Plate An orifice plate or flange placed in a pipe that consists of a slot or a calibrated circular hole smaller than the pipe diameter. The difference in pressure between a point in the pipe upstream and a point at the orifice may be used to determine the flow in the pipe.
O-ring A round, circular rubber-material gasket shaped like the letter O that is used to seal around round objects, such as the ends of two pipes.
OTO Abbreviation for orthotolidine. A chemical reagent used to test the total chlorine level in pool and spa water. It does not measure free available chlorine. See DPD.
Overdrain – also known as a diffuser or distributor – An internal sand filter device that evenly distributes influent pool water over the sand filter bed.
Overflow System A system for the removal of pool surface water through the use of overflows, surface skimmers, and surface water collection systems.
Oxidation To rid the water of ammonia, nitrogen compounds and swimmer waste (organic compounds). These organic compounds disable chlorine, are body irritants and have a foul smell. Removal is accomplished by superchlorination or by shock treating with a non-chlorine oxidizer.
Oxidizer A non-chlorine shocking compound that removes or destroys built-up contaminants and chloramines in pool water without raising chlorine levels as required when "superchlorinating."
Ozone A gaseous molecule comprised of three atoms of oxygen. It is generated on site from air or oxygen and used for oxidation of water contaminants.
Ozonator Electrical devices which produce ozone from air or oxygen used for oxidation of water contaminants. Corona Discharge or CD ozone is produced by a discharge of electricity at ranges from 1 to 7 percent ozone in air. Ultraviolet or UV ozone is produced by a UV light or lamp at ranges from .001 to .01 percent.
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