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Pee, Not Chlorine, Causes Red Eyes from Swimming Pools: CDC (2015)

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161–170 of 353 posts

Re: Pee, Not Chlorine, Causes Red Eyes from Swimming Pools: CDC (2015)

#161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While nice in theory, it'll be bad for business for public swimming pools. Think of how many young kids are in the pool (under 3 years of age). Whether you like it or not, there's pee in the pool.

Most pools require toddlers and infants to wear special swim diapers that provide some type of barrier to prevent pee (and worse) from getting in the water. Not that they're foolproof, but if you are swimming in a pool that doesn't require this, I would get out. There are some really nasty diseases that come from human waste that I would not want to come in contact with.

> Most pools require toddlers and infants to wear special swim diapers that provide some type of barrier to prevent pee (and worse) from getting in the water.

Swim diapers are to prevent feces from getting in the pool, or at least greatly limit the quantity. They really don't do much of anything for urine, nor are they intended to. (An absorbent diaper in a pool would be useless and fail completely as it would become oversaturated.)

Re: Pee, Not Chlorine, Causes Red Eyes from Swimming Pools: CDC (2015)

#162
post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How bad is urine really, in the quantities found in a typical pool? Remember that doctors used to taste urine, to test for e.g. diabetes.

Urine is sterile. That's why it's good to pee on wounds. Edit: Wow, what harsh downmodding :) Yes I was wrong and learned something, isn't it still useful to keep my comment here for other's education? I literally heard this "urine is sterile" comment in the last couple of weeks. I stand corrected, thanks!

Really? Why do I bother lathering my hand for 20 seconds and losing fat and then rubbing alcohol on it after I accidentally splash a bit?

Re: Pee, Not Chlorine, Causes Red Eyes from Swimming Pools: CDC (2015)

#164
post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I distinctly remember hearing--and believing--that rumor when I was growing up. Now that I know it isn't true, I'm not afraid to pee in the pool ;)

Well that's certainly antisocial.

He didn't say he did it.

Re: Pee, Not Chlorine, Causes Red Eyes from Swimming Pools: CDC (2015)

#165
post #109

I've been in pools that I'm 100% certain no one had peed in, and still got red eyes. I'm certain because I was the only one who swam in it (a backyard pool) and I know I never did.

Probably peed in by wildlife

Or House flies.

Re: Pee, Not Chlorine, Causes Red Eyes from Swimming Pools: CDC (2015)

#166
post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How bad is urine really, in the quantities found in a typical pool? Remember that doctors used to taste urine, to test for e.g. diabetes.

Urine is sterile. That's why it's good to pee on wounds. Edit: Wow, what harsh downmodding :) Yes I was wrong and learned something, isn't it still useful to keep my comment here for other's education? I literally heard this "urine is sterile" comment in the last couple of weeks. I stand corrected, thanks!

I think this should go without saying, but this is obviously untrue. Yet, I've heard it more times than I could ever recall.

Where did this myth come from?

Re: Pee, Not Chlorine, Causes Red Eyes from Swimming Pools: CDC (2015)

#167

Umm, pool owner here. This is horseshit. Come over and I will drain my pool, fill it up with fresh water, stabilize the chemistry and give it just a bit too much chlorine and lets see if your eyes don’t get red.

Former pool owner here, for reasonable values of "just a bit too much" they won't get red. Eye irritation is a function of pH and unfiltered particulates.

Check out the Trouble Free Pool forum, you might save some money and learn some stuff!

Re: Pee, Not Chlorine, Causes Red Eyes from Swimming Pools: CDC (2015)

#168
post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the harm in it? The amount of urine is negligible in relation to the water, and unless you're sick with a UTI or something urine is sterile anyways. I don't get it the other way around - why do people freak out about it? I don't care one way or the other whatever or not people piss in the pool next to me - its like somebody splashing you with water in the middle of a rainstorm.

> urine is sterile orly? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3957746/

It's still pretty much the most sterile thing that comes off or out of a human. If you really want your pool to be clean, you should make it avoid skin contact.

Re: Pee, Not Chlorine, Causes Red Eyes from Swimming Pools: CDC (2015)

#169
post #102
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Umm... that's why you pee before you get in the pool. 100 yards isn't that much to ask to avoid swimming around in your own, and other's piss. Those kids will be swimming around for hours exerting way more energy than the walk to the bathroom. FFS. This is why I don't swim in pools.

Uh, I hate to break it to you, but unless you swim in a dead body of water, there are worse things than human urine and feces in the water...

conversely, it seems like unless there are dead bodies in the water, human waste would be the worst likely contaminant. or am I missing something?

Re: Pee, Not Chlorine, Causes Red Eyes from Swimming Pools: CDC (2015)

#170
post #54

So how much water do you need before it's socially acceptable? I pee in the lake. What about a large pond or a really huge pool in a water park?

I've always been told not to urinate or defecate within 100 feet of water sources in the backcountry because if everyone does it it builds up and then the water is unsafe to drink even when filtered.

The 6 micron filters used to filter giardia from the water will not filter viruses, which are present in your feces.

Please stop doing this.

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