Swimming Pools Are Public Toilet Bowls for Many: Survey

If you're taking a refreshing dip in a pool with four other people, odds are one of you is urinating. This is not gross-out myth, but cold, depressing fact from a recent survey conducted by the Water Quality & Health Council, a scientific research group sponsored by the American Chemistry Council.

The survey, conducted in April, asked nearly 1,000 adults whether they urinate in pools. One in five bravely admitted their mistakes. And those are the ones who admitted it.


We may act like potty-trained adults on land, but something about a body of water, even a small one, opens our natural floodgates and, according to doctors, puts us all at risk.

"No matter how easy it is to pee anonymously in the pool, swimmers should avoid doing so," says public health expert and WQHC chairman, Dr. Chris Wiant.


It is easy isn't it? Maybe that's because many of us were taught as kids that chlorine counteracted any accidents. Technically, that's mostly true. If pool operators maintain proper chlorine and pH levels, most waterborne germs are killed on contact.

But 54 percent of public pools tested by the WQHC last year failed to provide the proper chlorine levels and 47 got low marks for pH balance. You can blame poor pool maintenance, but frequent urinators don't help.

"Anything foreign that gets in the pool consumes disinfectant and makes the pool less capable of catching the next bug," Dr. Wiant tells Yahoo! Shine. So while chlorine is working overtime to clean up someone's mess, it's weakened by the time more serious bacteria dives in.

That comes from the germs we carry on our body even before we get into to the water. While only one in five of us cop to peeing in the pool, seven in 10 say they don't shower before they swim. As much as a cold pre-swim shower ruins that first dip feeling, Wiant makes a good case for why it's crucial.


The additional bacteria we carry on skin, in particular sweat and traces of fecal matter (yes even on adults),gets mixed in the pool. "If disinfectant isn't right, bacteria is allowed to grow in pools, so someone accidentally consumes a mouthful of water like we all do when we're swimming and suddenly they're subject to serious bacteria like E.coli or salmonella."

The high risk offenders, according to the Center for Disease Control, are those water recreational parks, a dangerous combination of packs of young swimmers and lots of accidental gulps. One targeted study by Georgia's Division of Public Health found that e.Coli infected at least 26 people at one water park in the summer of 1998, ultimately resulting in one fatality. Another study found the parasite Cryptosporidium survives even well-chlorinated water parks, posing a potentially fatal threat to those with lowered immune systems.

But small private pools and large public ones are also potential health hazards, depending on how they're maintained. The CDC notes a rapid rise in gastro-intestinal illnesses borne from dirty swimming pools across the country in the past two decades.

Short of getting pool maintenance certification or sweating out an unbearable summer, what can you do?

The first step is to be a good pool Samaritan. Take it to the restroom, folks, and emphasize lots of bathroom breaks for your kids. Another important to-do: always shower before getting in the pool. If you've done your part, you still can't trust your blissfully clueless fellow swimmers.

6 signs you shouldn't swim there

To find out of your pool is safe, look for some tell-tale signs of bacteria.

"Check if you see the bottom," says Dr. Wiant. "If a pool is clear it's likely very clean and balanced, but if it's it cloudy or the sides are slimy, those are signs that bacteria is prevalent and the pool isn't filtering out germs the way it should."

Hyper-vigilant swimmers can also purchase pool test strips at any drug store and do their own scientific assessment. "They're easy to use," he adds, "just crack one open and dip it in the pool and you'll be able to tell right away if the pool is clean."

[b]Another signal it's time to get out of the pool: burning, stinging eyes. [/b]Although it's not seriously harmful, when "urine combines with chlorine it becomes an irritant," Wiant says. So if you find yourself squinting in pain after a dive, ask yourself why that person doing the backstroke in the next lane looks so relaxed. It's not that nice of a day.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/swimming-pools-public-toilet-bowls-many-survey-193700688.html

yeah,i was abt posting it before seeing urs.This is very helpful and i think everyone most especially those that loves swimming in the pool should take absolute care.

never wear a contact lens in a swimming pool

solomto: yeah,i was abt posting it before seeing urs.This is very helpful and i think everyone most especially those that loves swimming in the pool should take absolute care.

You're right. I guess this article will do many people a lot of good.

Thanks for the article. I plan on swimming sooon. Any pool in Lagos credible when it comes to hygiene?

velo10: Thanks for the article. I plan on swimming sooon. Any pool in Lagos credible when it comes to hygiene?

yes . BAR BEACH

Ha ha, Redcliff, you no like me...lol

?

Pukkah:
Another signal it's time to get out of the pool: burning, stinging eyes. [/b]Although it's not seriously harmful, when "urine combines with chlorine it becomes an irritant," Wiant says. So if you find yourself squinting in pain after a dive, [b]ask yourself why that person doing the backstroke in the next lane looks so relaxed. It's not that nice of a day.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/swimming-pools-public-toilet-bowls-many-survey-193700688.html

True.

In the end, since we can't trust fellow swimmers, the Management in charge of the Swimming pool should ensure the have the right checks in place.

redcliff:
yes . BAR BEACH

Bar beach is only for shooting short Nollywood scenes of 2 lovers running after each other in an attempt to show us that they're having fun (or 10 full minutes of it seeing as naija films love to drag tings to fill up time ).
Sucks for pretty much anything in real life

watin go carry me go pool self

Modified

Nice article.


Imagine a girl in her period swimming in D̶̲̥̅̊ same pool with ‎​U̶̲̥̅̊.

pool wetting,sha bi na person may get money go think about pool,na wetting go kill those rich pple b dat.

This is very informative. Pls all pool attendants should ensure that everyone pee and bath before u qualify to swim.

this is why i don't swim atall

zubbainno123: Nice article.


Imagine a girl in her period swimming in D̶̲̥̅̊ same pool with ‎​U̶̲̥̅̊.

Damn man!!! Why you have to say a nasty thing like this? Now this will always run on my mind whenever I want to take a dip.

Tru talk,i am guilty of pissing in d ppool a few times

Tru talk,i am guilty of pissing in d pool a few times

if you have many happy teenagers in the pool, up to 20 of them. i can assure you will be swimming in urine

if na just pee, i no mind, what of girls wey dey menstrate (blood)..... U enta pool water wit blood from a girls pussy enta ur mouth!!!!

Wow!!! I love swimming, but this is a huge eye-opener for me. I guess I've been ignorant of the fact that people do urinate in pools. I still wonder why people would do that though.and yea, there was a time I entered a pool and at a point my eyes kept stinging me. I guess I have to be more careful. @OP, thanks!

I can't swim, so don't use shwimming pools.

Does peeing in the sea count?

had a ear and throat infection from the pool.i still struggle with dat infection till date.i have not gone back since then

Recreational parks are the worst. Don't think they ever chlorinate the water. Well, the good thing is that when having fun you'll seldom remember the danger.

getting ur swim on is not fun when ur swimming in bacteria

after reading this article, i dont think i will take a dip again in a public pool

aweaweawe: pool wetting,sha bi na person may get money go think about pool,na wetting go kill those rich pple b dat.

Na wa for you O, so na only rich people dey swim abi.
@OP, thanks for this info. It's obvious we have lots of crazy people around, if not why would any reasonable man pee in a swimming-pool? I hope i catch one person one day make we use am as scape-goat.
I swim atleast twice in a week; it has become an addict.

For me who swum for about 5 hours yesterday and took in water about thrice, this is quite scary. Great information though. Thanks.

A friend banged his girl friend inside airport hotel swimming pool with lots of people inside the pool swimming and laughing. I pity for them. I don't swim, can't swim, if its not my private swimming pool, I no dey enter