Suche
Mein Konto
Kandern passes shorts ban: chlorine consumption drastically reduced!
Lörrach introduces strict swimwear rules to improve hygiene and reduce chlorine consumption. Visitor numbers are increasing.
Kandern passes shorts ban: chlorine consumption drastically reduced!
The swimming pool in Kandern introduced an innovative shorts ban ten years ago, which has now become well established. This ban aims to drastically reduce chlorine consumption. According to schwarzwaelder-bote.de, the regulation saves operators a whopping 66% of the chlorine required. The recommendation of the German Swimming Association to improve the hygienic requirements was the beginning of this measure.
The numbers show how important chlorine is for water quality: it keeps the water clean and protects bathers from germs, even if it itself is odorless. The unpleasant smell of chlorine that many people smell is caused by the reaction of chlorine with pollutants such as sweat, urine and dander. Male bathers in particular often wear underwear under their shorts, which further increases chlorine consumption.
New hygiene concept in outdoor pools
The topic of swimwear is also a hot topic in other outdoor swimming pools: several facilities in Baden-Württemberg have introduced strict rules to improve hygiene and ensure cost-effectiveness. In parks and outdoor pools like in Lörrach, men and women are only allowed to wear tight-fitting swimwear that reaches no more than the knee. Wide shorts and burkinis are no longer allowed, as merkur.de reports.
The house and bathing rules deprive some bathers of their freedom, which leads to heated discussions. Critics find the regulations discriminatory, while others emphasize the necessity of such requirements. The cleaning effort by wearing long swimwear should be reduced, as these can bring dirt into the water, which affects the water quality.
The fight for water quality
In this context, the Federal Environment Agency has emphasized the importance of chlorine and its by-products. The disinfectant is essential to keeping regional swimming pools safe. It reacts with various pollutants and can form dangerous byproducts such as trichloramines and trihalomethanes (THM). These compounds can have toxic and carcinogenic effects, although the danger is lower in outdoor swimming pools thanks to the constant exchange of air, explains the website of the [Federal Environment Agency](https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/wasser/schwimmen-baden/schwimm-bade Becken/wasserqualitaet-der-schwimm-bade Becken).
So swimwear regulations not only aim to increase chlorine consumption, but also improve overall water quality. A clean and safe environment for all bathers is always our top priority. On hot days, up to 2,500 bathers visit the Kanderner swimming pool, which only underlines the effect of these measures. By July 10, 2025, 29,000 visitors had already been counted, which represents an increase compared to the previous year.
The operators' goal is to significantly exceed the total number of guests this season of 50,000. This makes it clear: hygiene awareness and water quality cannot only be controlled through regulations, but also through the tangible commitment of all bathers.