On behalf of the Water Quality & Health Council, Sachs Media surveyed 3,100 American adults online, April 12-13, 2019. The survey had an estimated margin of error of +/- 2.7% at the 95% confidence level. Results were nationally representative of American adults in terms of age, race, gender, region, and household income.
Survey findings were featured as part of the 2019 Healthy Pools campaign, which involved experts from the Water Quality & Health Council, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) educating the public about healthy and safe swimming.
“The bottom line is: Don’t pee in the pool,” said Michele Hlavsa, chief of CDC’s Healthy Swimming program. “Swimming is a great way to be physically active and not peeing in the pool is a key healthy swimming step.”
| Q1: During summer, which have you done? Select all that apply | ||
| ANY OF THESE (NET) | 51% | |
| ‘Rinsed off in a pool after exercise | 29% | |
| ‘Rinsed off in a pool after yard work | 26% | |
| ‘Gone swimming as a substitute for showering | 23% | |
| NONE OF THESE | 49% | |
- Half of Americans (51%) admit to using a swimming pool as a bathtub.
- Nearly 1 in 4 (23%) admit they’ve gone swimming as a substitute for showering.
| Q2: Have you ever peed in the pool as an adult? | ||
| Yes | 40% | |
| No | 60% | |
- 2 in 5 Americans (40%) admit they’ve peed in the pool as an adult.
| Q3: On average, how long do you shower immediately BEFORE swimming? | ||
| Not at all | 48% | |
| 15 seconds | 8% | |
| 30 seconds | 13% | |
| 1 minute | 11% | |
| 2+ minutes | 20% | |
- Half of Americans (48%) don’t shower before swimming, a slight improvement from 52% in 2018.
- However, only 31% of Americans shower for at least 1 minute before swimming, the CDC-recommended length. The average American showers for just 35 seconds, if at all, prior to swimming.
| Q4: Which of the following can impact the effectiveness of swimming pool chemicals? Select all that apply | ||
| Urine | 62% | |
| Dirt | 55% | |
| Makeup | 47% | |
| Deodorant | 45% | |
| Pets | 50% | |
| Beach Ball | 12% | |
| None of these | 3% | |
| I don’t know | 24% | |
- Despite many admitting they have peed in the pool as an adult, greater than half (62%) of Americans know that urine can impact the effectiveness of swimming pool chemicals.
- However, most Americans don’t know that makeup (53%) and deodorant (55%) can do so, too.
| Q5: Which do you believe is more hazardous to your health if you swallow pool water? | ||
| Chlorinated water | 40% | |
| Germs | 60% | |
- 40% of Americans believe that, if they swallow pool water, chlorine is more hazardous to their health than germs.
| Q6: Which type of pool is responsible for the highest number of reported recreational waterborne disease outbreaks? | ||
| Community pools | 40% | |
| Hotel/motel pools | 19% | |
| Backyard pools | 19% | |
| Water park pools | 23% | |
- Only 19% of Americans know that hotel/motel pools are responsible for the highest number of reported recreational water disease outbreaks.
| Q7: What can happen after a swimmer pees in pool water? Select all that apply | |||
| Activation of a urine-detecting dye | 37% | ||
| Pool chemicals kill fewer germs | 41% | ||
| Red, itchy eyes | 30% | ||
| Nothing | 28% | ||
- 37% of Americans incorrectly believe that a urine-detecting dye can activate after a swimmer pees in pool water.
- Most (70%) don’t know that peeing in pool water can cause red, itchy eyes.
| Q8: How long would you wait after having diarrhea before going in a swimming pool? | ||
| 0 minutes | 4% | |
| 15 minutes | 5% | |
| 1 hour | 15% | |
| 1 day | 34% | |
| 3 days | 21% | |
| 1 week | 12% | |
| 2 weeks | 9% | |
- 1 in 4 (24%) Americans would go in a swimming pool within one hour of having diarrhea.
- Only 9% of Americans would wait 2 weeks after having diarrhea before going in a swimming pool, the CDC-recommended wait time.
| Q9: How often have you checked health inspection reports before swimming in a public pool? | ||
| Never | 62% | |
| Sparingly | 13% | |
| Occasionally | 16% | |
| Usually | 5% | |
| Always | 5% | |
- Most Americans (62%) have never checked health inspection reports before swimming in a public pool.
- Only 10% of Americans usually or always check health inspection reports before swimming in a public pool.
| Q10: Have you ever used a pool test kit to check the pH and chlorine level in a public pool? | ||
| Yes | 21% | |
| No | 79% | |
- Only 1 in 5 Americans (21%) has used a pool test kit to check pH and chlorine levels in a public pool, while the remaining 79% have never done so.
| Q11: Would you swim in a pool with cloudy water? | ||
| Yes | 18% | |
| No | 82% | |
- 18% of Americans say they would swim in a pool with cloudy water.
| Q12: True or False: Pool chemicals … | ||||||
| True | Don’t know | False | ||||
| Prevent algae growth | 76% | 14% | 11% | |||
| Kill germs | 71% | 15% | 14% | |||
| Prevent mosquitoes from breeding | 43% | 31% | 27% | |||
| Help prevent drowning by keeping water clear | 24% | 17% | 59% | |||
| Are used in saltwater pools | 23% | 39% | 38% | |||
| Are optional for backyard pools | 25% | 19% | 56% | |||
| Eliminate the need to shower before swimming | 13% | 22% | 64% | |||
| Dye pool water blue | 20% | 26% | 54% | |||
| Emit a strong odor when levels are correct | 23% | 25% | 51% | |||
| Detect urine when swimmers pee in pools | 24% | 24% | 51% | |||
- Most Americans are aware that pool chemicals prevent algae growth (76%), kill germs (71%), don’t eliminate the need to shower before swimming (64%), and aren’t optional for backyard pools (56%).
- Most (57%) don’t know that pool chemicals prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
- Only 23% know that pool chemicals are used in saltwater pools.
- 1 in 5 (20%) incorrectly believes that pool chemicals dye pool water blue.
- 24% incorrectly believe that pool chemicals detect urine when swimmers pee in pools.
The Water Quality & Health Council, an independent, multidisciplinary group of scientific experts, health professionals, and consumer advocates, was sponsored by the American Chemistry Council’s Chlorine Chemistry Division.