23Aside from being dangerous…I mean, you might be diving in or jumping in right on top of someone without even realizing it…too many people in the pool can be highly unhealthy and – let’s face it – extremely gross.

Okay, so here are some things that make you go, “Ewe!” Too many people in the pool can create a soupy bacterial brew of sweat, sunscreen, urine and fecal matter. Traces of urine and other “stuff” can eat up chlorine, which is intended to kill germs. So, the more people you have in your pool, the less available chlorine you have to fight the yucks.

Want to be really surprised and disgusted? Specifically, the average swimmer adds about .14 grams of fecal matter to pool water within 15 minutes of entering. Multiply that by a bunch of guests and that’s a lot of…well, you know.

Giardia and Cryptosporidium are diarrhea causing parasites that can actually survive for over a week in chlorinated water! Infection rates rise in the summer months when the water is warmer – as it can often be here in Florida. Germs can spread by swallowing contaminated water or by contaminated water seeping into a cut, orifices and even your pores. These germs can cause eye and skin irritation and infections, as well as ear infections and can even affect the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system.

So there you have it…all the dirty little details, but don’t fret my friend! Keep your pool water balanced and your pool guests to a manageable minimum and you will enjoy a clean and healthy pool season.