Please Stop Peeing In Public Pools So We Can All Enjoy A Summer Swim

When I was young, my friend’s grandfather had a pool with a sign that read, “Welcome to our ool. Notice there is no P in it. Please keep it that way.” Maybe more pools could use such a sign, as a new survey says one in five adults takes a tinkle in public waters. Grody!

The Water Quality & Health Council’s survey results shows that many of us will relieve our bladders in the relative cover of water. But you shouldn’t, obviously. Because it’s gross.

“No matter how easy it is to pee anonymously in the pool, swimmers should avoid doing so and take their children on frequent bathroom breaks,” Dr. Chris Wiant, chair of the Water Quality & Health Council, said in a press release, via CBS Cleveland. “Pool operators should also monitor and maintain proper pool water chemistry, especially pH and chlorine levels, which (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) calls ‘the first defense against germs that can make swimmers sick.'”

In another icky finding, the study found that almost 70% of people don’t shower or rinse off before swimming, which in effect, makes the entire pool your bathtub. You shouldn’t treat the pool as your means of bathing, said Wiant. No one wants to be swimming in your sweat, deodorant, makeup, etc. All those irritants can mix with chlorine and get in your eyes, causing them to get all red and unhappy.

So please, think of the “Welcome to our ool” sign next time you take a dip. For all our sakes.

Better Wear Your Goggles: Survey Finds 1 In 5 Adults Pee In Pool [CBS Cleveland]

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