# Peeing in a swimming pool **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 12, 2001, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peeing-in-a-swimming-pool/65195 "2001-05-12T09:07:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2001, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peeing-in-a-swimming-pool/65195/21 "2001-05-13T20:20:23Z")
I mean, who HASN’T peed in a swimming pool? Does it hurt? I mean, the chlorine is there, and from what I recall, urine is pretty sterile. ---
**Author:** ![Anniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cc9497/32.png) [@Anniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anniz)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2001, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peeing-in-a-swimming-pool/65195/22 "2001-05-13T20:38:14Z")
Here in Sweden I heard that they tryed something in the public pools that made a couler in the water if you peed in it, don’t know what couler, and I haven’t seen it, just heard it. But, anyway they had to stop with it, because of quit a lot of peole made the water to couler because they have incontinence. I have nothing to back this up, just now that I heard this from someone years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Redboss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@Redboss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redboss)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peeing-in-a-swimming-pool/65195/23 "2001-05-18T09:26:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*I mean, who HASN’T peed in a swimming pool? > > Does it hurt? I mean, the chlorine is there, and from what I recall, urine is pretty sterile. > \*\* Good on ya **Guin** - what an open-minded gal! Now, some friends of mine are having a “special party” this weekend. Interested? Yellowboss ---
**Author:** ![Starbury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Starbury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starbury)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peeing-in-a-swimming-pool/65195/24 "2001-05-18T17:27:17Z")
To back up **handy’s** point, urine contains nitrogenous compounds (ammonia and organic nitrogen). When you combine this (specifically, the ammonia) with the chlorine that is (often) used to disinfect pools, the result is the formation of chloramines. Chloramines will definitely cause irritation in your eyes. I wasn’t able to turn up much regarding eye irritation caused by organics. However, skimming through the sci.chem newsgroup, I did read this: > [@](#): > > Urine is sterile, unless you have a bladder infection, but it is laden with organics. It creates an undesirable chemical demand on any oxidizing disinfection system. Oh, right. I wouldn’t want to leave out a citation. [Enjoy.](http://www.netpayusa.com/pool_eyes.htm) I’ll cut and paste the relevent parts, if any of you are willing to take my word for it: > [@](#): > > **The most popular misconception about eye irritation is that it is caused by excess chlorine.** The most common actual causes of eye irritation are pH imbalance, **chloramine buildup** , high dissolved solids, or a combination of those factors. And then: > [@](#): > > Chloramine is an irritant to your eyes, skin, and other parts of the body. The chlorine in chloramine loses its sanitizing power and has a distinctive “rotten chlorine” odor. > > Another characteristic of chloramine is that it changes in composition relative to the pH of the water. The lower the pH, the more of an irritant the chlorine becomes. Since low pH in and of itself can be an irritant, low pH in conjunction with chloramine is even worse. So I’m not sure if you’ll literally be seeing red rings, but its probably best for the sake of your eyesight to skip the next pool party with your incontinent friends. ---
**Author:** ![starfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@starfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starfish)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2001, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peeing-in-a-swimming-pool/65195/25 "2001-05-19T19:29:52Z")
A bar I went to had a sign by their pool “We don’t swim in your toilet, don’t pee in our pool”. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2001, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peeing-in-a-swimming-pool/65195/26 "2001-05-20T01:48:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by starfish \* > \*\*A bar I went to had a sign by their pool “We don’t swim in your toilet, don’t pee in our pool”. \*\* You’re not hanging out at the right kinda bar, my friend 😃 Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![khalidee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@khalidee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/khalidee)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2001, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peeing-in-a-swimming-pool/65195/27 "2001-05-20T03:38:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bare \* > \*\*Yer all missing the point, I’ll bet there was less pee in that kids pool than any other pool in the neighborhood. I know if someone told me I’d have a bright red ring around me, there would be less temptation to pee. Sounds like a pretty smart kid that likes to swim pee free. \*\* Temptation to pee? You sick bastard.Some rarely pee out of necessity.Sounds like you did so out of a sick obsession to poison the rest. ---
**Author:** ![Major\_Feelgud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3be4f8/32.png) [@Major\_Feelgud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Major_Feelgud)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2001, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peeing-in-a-swimming-pool/65195/28 "2001-05-20T05:22:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Anniz \* > \*\*Here in Sweden I heard that they tryed something > in the public pools that made a couler in the water > if you peed in it, don’t know what couler, > and I haven’t seen it, just heard it. > But, anyway they had to stop with it, > because of quit a lot of peole made the water to couler > because they have incontinence. > I have nothing to back this up, > just now that I heard this from someone years ago. > \*\* That brings up a horrible point. If these people know they are incontinent, shouldn’t they avoid public swimming pools? After all, no one wants to swim in a pool of pee, even if it’s their own. Well, next time I’m in the locker room I’m make sure that no one is taking off Depends around me. If they are, I’m outta there. For sure if I go to Sweden I’ll make sure I don’t go swimming. Why are there “a lot of people” incontinent there anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Anniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cc9497/32.png) [@Anniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anniz)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2001, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peeing-in-a-swimming-pool/65195/29 "2001-05-20T15:20:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Major Feelgud \* > \*\*For sure if I go to Sweden I’ll make sure I don’t go swimming.Why are there “a lot of people” incontinent there anyway? \*\* Re-read it, I said they had to stop with it. And I think it was most some of the older people that had this problem. ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2001, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peeing-in-a-swimming-pool/65195/30 "2001-05-20T16:41:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Major Feelgud \* > \*\*For sure if I go to Sweden I’ll make sure I don’t go swimming. Why are there “a lot of people” incontinent there anyway? \*\* Sweden, due to its peaceful nature (no wars this century) and excellent health care system, has a high proportion of elderly residents. The elderly are more likely to be incontinent. And, if you don’t go swimming in Sweden, how are you going to see the Swedish bikini team? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![zub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a6a055/32.png) [@zub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zub)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2001, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peeing-in-a-swimming-pool/65195/31 "2001-05-20T17:18:50Z")
pessor is an idiot if he was so curious why didn’t he just “pee and see”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peeing-in-a-swimming-pool/65195.md?page=1)