Whatever you do, don’t drink the water! And we’re not talking about when you go on vacation to a foreign country. We’re talking about pool water here. Now I’m going to ask a (very gross) question that will stop you from ever drinking pool water even if you read no further…Did you know that the average adult has approximately .14 grams of feces on their rear-end at any given time? Ugh! Just imagine what that number is for kids!!! And, by the way, at least 19% of adults admit to peeing in the pool. I know, right?

Ok, everybody alright? Let’s continue. The kiddie pool is actually the worst offender. Just think about it for a minute. It is essentially a shallow warm water pool where kids swim in diapers. You do the math. It’s a perfect breeding ground for water-borne infections even if the water IS chlorinated.

But the pool water in the regular pool can be almost as scary. Anyone with a gastrointestinal illness can infect you if you are in the same pool water; and if chlorine or pH levels are too low, public pool water contains E. coli, certain parasites, and giardia. If you are infected by any of the above, your symptoms could include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps. Other illnesses that can be contracted from not-so-clean pool water are hot tub rash, swimmers’ ear, Pontiac fever (which causes flu-like symptoms) and – believe it or not – Legionella, which can cause Legionnaire’s disease!

Be careful even if a pool smells of chlorine. Because that does not mean it is devoid of everything that is disgusting and/or harmful. Chlorine’s effects do not necessarily take effect right away and, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, parasites and organisms can live within chlorinated water for up to seven days!

If you need a trusted professional to help keep your pool water parasite-free, just call or stop in SE Pool and Spa in New Smyrna Beach. SE Pool and Spa keeps pool waters crystal clear!