Extraordinary popular myths and delusions about swimming pools and the truth behind them

25 Jul Extraordinary popular myths and delusions about swimming pools and the truth behind them

Myth Busted! Poll Finds Most Parents Believe Pool Urine Detecting Dye Myth Is True

From The Paramus Post

Like anything else that is extremely popular, swimming pools and their enthusiastic usage by the public has some urban tales and myths associated with it.  Almost everyone who grew up swimming in a pool has heard the canard that there is a chemical that can be added to a swimming pool that can turn red, blue, or green when a child pees in it.  This would presumably cause great embarrassment for the child, and ultimately act as a deterrent to the kids peeing in the pool.  Well, like many other tall tales and urban legends, this is untrue.  This post from Paramus Post explains why, and also gives some other popular myths and legends surrounding swimming pools, and the real truth behind them.  The explanations might surprise you!

Here is an excerpt from the post:

Myth – Chlorine turns hair green.

Truth – The survey by the Water Quality and Health Council discovered that nearly half of respondents believe that chorine is responsible for turning hair green. In fact, the presence of copper in swimming pool water is to blame. Copper may be introduced to pool water in several ways, including metal plumbing or algaecide.

Myth – Swimmer “red eye” is caused by too much chlorine in the pool.

Truth – 87 percent of respondents to the Water Quality and Health Council survey believed that chlorine in pools makes swimmers’ eyes red and irritated. In reality, when nitrogen, found in urine and sweat, is combined with chlorine, irritants called chloramines are formed. It is these chloramines, not the chlorine itself, that irritate the eyes, skin and respiratory system. In this case, more chlorine may actually need to be added to pool water in order to reduce the formation of chloramines.

Myth – When it comes to pool water, clarity means cleanliness.

Truth – Even when swimming pool water is clear, microorganisms too small to be seen with the naked eye can be present. While chlorine destroys bacteria that could put swimmers at risk for disease, it takes time to work. Most germs are killed within seconds in a properly treated pool, but some (such as Cryptosporidium) can survive for days and require more aggressive treatment.

Myth – The strong odor of chemicals indicates a clean, well-treated pool.

Truth – A faint smell is expected, but a strong scent of chemicals could mean trouble. When irritating chloramines are formed by the mixture of chlorine and pool contaminants, such as urine, body oils and other substances brought into the pool by swimmers, a strong smell is released. A healthy pool is one with little to no odor.

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