The Gag-Inducing Truth About Swimming Pools

Published on 7/1/2016 at 8:15 AM

POPSUGAR Photography

A recent Centers For Disease Control and Prevention study found health and safety violations in 80 percent of public swimming pools. Yikes! So when you take a dip, what exactly are you getting into?

The top pool pollutants are body excrement like urine — a surprising number of people admit to peeing in pools — and feces, which remain in tiny quantities on swimmers' bottoms after bowel movements. Then there's those who sneeze, cough, vomit, and even bleed into the pool, sharing their microorganisms with all who dare take a dip (fortunately, chlorine is generally effective at killing blood-borne illnesses like HIV). And if you've ever seen a sign asking you to rinse off before getting into a pool, it's to prevent you from bringing your sweat, oils, and filth into the pool, which is another cause of water pollution.

All these icky contaminants can have some harmful effects, from causing diarrhea to infections of the skin, ears, eyes, and respiratory system.

If the pool now sounds more like a petri dish than a good time to you, take solace in the fact that you can exert some control over the sanitary status of your own private pool. To ensure you're not swimming in a sea of infectious body secretions, we consulted with pro Jose Torres from Bio-Active, a company that creates innovative products to help with consumer issues like water remediation.

Keep reading for Jose's five tips to maintaining a clean pool. Hint: it takes more than chlorine.

Brush Surfaces

"Brush the sides and steps of your pool weekly to dislodge any algae growth and dirt," advised Jose. "Once in the water, chlorine can combat algae and your filter will cycle out any dirt."

Have Water Professionally Tested

"Don’t just rely on the limited testing ability of at-home test strips or drop kits," warned Jose. "Take a sample of water to a local pool store biweekly to have it professionally tested for chemical levels and buildup of other compounds in the water."

Pay Attention to the Temperature

Germs and microorganisms can thrive in the heat. To combat overgrowth during heat waves, Jose recommended, "Run your pool filter for at least one hour for every 10 degrees of temperature. If it is 90 degrees outside, your pool needs to circulate for at least nine hours, and so on."

Rinse Off

"To maintain the quality of your pool water, always rinse off before entering the pool to clean off any sweat or unabsorbed sunscreen or lotions," said Jose. It also goes without saying to remind everyone not to use the pool as a bathroom or tissue.

Combat Contaminants

If your test does come back positive for a contaminant, don't panic. Instead, do your research and don't hesitate to call in a pro. If you're lucky, there may be a solution; for example, if you discover you have high levels of cyanuric acid, don’t immediately assume you need to drain the water. "A more eco-friendly option is a product called Bio-Active that when used correctly can reduce cyanuric acid so chlorine is able to dissolve and sanitize the water again," said Jose.