One in Five Urinate in Public Pools, Survey Says

Before you get ready to dive into the local pool this summer, beware: One in five Americans pee in the pool, according to a new survey by the Water Quality and Health Council.

“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,” said Dr. Chris Wiant, chair of the Water Quality & Health Council, in a news release issued this week.

The survey, conducted in April 2012 among 1,000 U.S. adults over the age of 18, also found that 68 percent of people don’t shower before using communal pools.

The council is comprised of independent scientific experts, health professionals and consumer advocates who serve as advisors to the Chlorine Chemistry Division of the American Chemistry Council, an industry trade association.

To test how healthy your pool is, the organization is offering free pool test strips to identify chlorine and pH levels. Free test strips can be requested and results uploaded by visiting http://www.healthypools.org/freeteststrips.