Though the thermometer may not show it today, it is after a Memorial Day, so that means summer is here. And summer, for a lot of people, means swimming.
But those waters, don't always contain, well, water—at least according to a recent survey from the Water Quality and Health Council which found that one in five Americans admit to urinating in a public swimming place.
Seven in 10 confessed to skipping a shower before going for a swim.
But experts say it's the lack of clean users in the pool that irritate eyes and sinuses that are worse for swimmers than the yellow stuff. A shower, after all, removes makeup, hair products and other irritants.
To protect yourself, the Water Quality and Health Council provides free pool test strips so swimmers can check the pH and chlorine levels in their public pools before diving in.
And the SCDHEC has a wealth of informtion on its site to help swim safely.
Now, don't forget to vote in our poll below--and be honest!
Adam Crisp
2:04 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I've always heard that urine is sterile when it leaves the body. Just saying...
reg
4:30 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Thank you for sharing that. I'm leaving myself a note to remind me never to go swimming with you!!
stanley seigler
11:40 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
@Adam Crisp: "...heard that urine is sterile when it leaves the body."
not sure how we got on this topic...but FYI...from navy survival training:
"Urine is bacteriostatic (free from bacteria) and it is recommended for people who are lost at sea to drink urine rather than salt water. Urine is mostly water and can keep you alive case of dire survival situations."
they told us some other dumb things too...and made us do dumb things like swim under water two lengths of an olympic size pool...
Lindsay Street
2:16 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I was frightened as a kid of the claim that pools used a special dye that turned your pee a bright color. I was an extremely gullible kid (still fairly gullible) so not sure if there is an actual technology for that or not! Now, peeing in the ocean is fair game ;) (fish do it!)
JoSCh
10:42 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
That lie probably kept more urine out of public pools than decency and manners ever even approached. When I pee in a pool I still look down to make sure there isn't a ring of chemical reaction surrounding me.
Lindsay Street
2:17 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I knew it! My childhood was a lie: http://www.snopes.com/science/poolpiss.asp
So does this mean ... oh no ... the Tooth Fairy?
stanley seigler
3:08 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
so much for snopes...the water turned international orange and the pool police hauled me off to jail...
JoSCh
10:43 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
@stanley, you should probably see a doctor about that. Or provide a link to the technology that caused this orange ring, because I'm 99, nah, 100% sure it doesn't exist.
Hal Millard
2:32 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Suddenly, I'm reminded of that scene from "Caddyshack."
Justin Farnsworth
2:59 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Lindsay, you read my mind as the "special dye" was the first thing that came to me on this subject. The Boy Scout camp we used to go to had us so scared of the red ring of pee! I have to admit though, I have used the same scare tactic with my own kids from time to time to stop them from going in the pool!