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To Pee or Not to Pee?

One in five admit they do.

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 (Editor) June 6, 2012 at 06:04 pm
I've always heard that urine is sterile when it leaves the body. Just saying...
Lindsay Street (Editor) June 6, 2012 at 06:16 pm
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!)
Lindsay Street (Editor) June 6, 2012 at 06:17 pm
I knew it! My childhood was a lie: http://www.snopes.com/science/poolpiss.asp
So does this mean ... oh no ... the Tooth Fairy?
Hal Millard (Editor) June 6, 2012 at 06:32 pm
Suddenly, I'm reminded of that scene from "Caddyshack."
Justin Farnsworth June 6, 2012 at 06:59 pm
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!
stanley seigler June 6, 2012 at 07:08 pm
so much for snopes...the water turned international orange and the pool police hauled me off to jail...
reg June 6, 2012 at 08:30 pm
Thank you for sharing that. I'm leaving myself a note to remind me never to go swimming with you!!
JoSCh June 7, 2012 at 02:42 am
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.
JoSCh June 7, 2012 at 02:43 am
@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.
stanley seigler June 7, 2012 at 03:39 am
@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...

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Linda June 7, 2013 at 12:33 am
All residents of Mauldin need to voice their concern about this balant disregard of human safety onRead More the part of Greenville Water Co. Let your voice be heard by contacting Murray Dodd, Operations Director @ 864-241-6000.