Don't be ashamed if you do, you’re definitely not alone on this one. About 1 in 5 has admitted to doing this while in Public Pools. It could be the guy swimming next to you, or the kid smiling over in the corner, but in either case, someone is or just did, Pee in the Pool..
Basically, pools are gigantic toilets.
But really, what is the big deal?
Well, realistically nothing... There is research out that points to urine combining with the chlorine chemical( a cleaning agent found in pools) to produce cyanogen chloride, which is a very toxic substance acting similar to tear gas. But newer research states that even in extreme cases, the amount of this cyanogen chloride that is produced is so small, that according to the World Health organization it passes the levels set for
acceptable drinking water
Still doesn't change the fact it's pretty gross.
So are you saying Pools are clean then?
Not exactly, a real issue with public swimming pools comes from swimmers not taking a Shower before entering the pool. A staggering 70%, or 7 in 10 people, don't at least rinse off, which allows for a myriad of chemicals to dissolve in the water including; make-up, sunscreen, perfumes, and anything else the human body has on the skin including sweat.
The chemicals we contain on us and then bring into the pool mix with chlorine to produce harmful by-products. These can cause rashes and swimmers itch, while others are known to be cancerous and also cause gene mutations. But, research has suggested, that the risk is minimal.
YEEH! Minimal risk! So I’m safe to jump in?
Well pretty much, but there is definitely one thing to watch out for, and continue watching out for if spotted
.
.
Although super cute and playful. Babies without swimming approved diapers can leak materials into the pool we won’t specify. If this incident happens, most likely E.coli and Cryptosporidium will contaminate the water, and these are some nasty bugs responsible for gastrointestinal illnesses. But as long as they wear the special diapers, this isn't an issue.
So although you may be swimming in the community toilet, it's pretty safe for the most part. Just don't intentionally drink the water!
Here are some more amazing articles on public swimming pools:
https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/gory-details/what-happens-when-you-pee-pool
http://oureverydaylife.com/can-babies-wear-regular-diapers-swimming-5057.html
http://www.lenntech.com/processes/disinfection/swimming-pool-/swimming-pool-disinfection-health.htm
Thank you for reading and comments are always welcomed.