Relaxation.

Public pools are a place of relaxation, fun, and sometimes a little bit of discomfort. Everyone knows that it happens sometimes: someone secretly pees in the water. Although it may seem horrifying at first, it may be worth looking at this situation from a different perspective. Maybe peeing in the pool is not as bad as it seems, and may even have unexpected benefits.

The Psychological Effect of “Strange” Water

The aversion to peeing in a pool is mainly due to the psychological effect. People feel uncomfortable with the idea that they are swimming in someone else’s “filth”. This does not necessarily make sense, because swimming pools are full of chlorine, which neutralizes everything quickly. In addition, swimming pools are well filtered and maintained to ensure hygiene.

Yet the thought of sharing water with strangers remains an uncomfortable reality. It can feel like sharing something personal and intimate with strangers, and that creates resistance. But what if that perception changes? What if water actually becomes a shared medium, where everyone is equal?

A Practical Solution: Make Everyone's Water

Perhaps the best way to reduce the discomfort of this situation is to shift the focus. The water in a pool belongs to everyone, and the small amount of urine that ends up in it doesn’t change that. Accepting that can make swimming in a public pool a lot less stressful. When everyone contributes equally, the water becomes a collective experience, literally and figuratively. No one has to worry about who is contributing and who isn’t.

Hygienic? Absolutely

The fear of urine in swimming pools is often exaggerated. Swimming pools are specifically designed to deal with this kind of thing. Chlorine is extremely effective at killing bacteria and neutralizing bodily fluids. In fact, a pool with a small amount of urine is still hygienic and safe to swim in.

This does not mean that it is to be encouraged to pollute swimming pools, but it does emphasize the fact that the fear is often greater than the problem itself. Swimming in a swimming pool is not more dangerous or less hygienic because someone pees in the water once. It is mainly a matter of perception.

The Commonality of Swimming

Public pools are symbols of shared spaces where people come together. Whether it’s bodily fluids, sweat or saliva, swimming is a shared experience where everyone contributes, consciously or unconsciously. By accepting that a pool is never completely “clean,” people can focus more on the joy of swimming and being together.

A New Look at Swimming

Perhaps it’s time to let go of the obsession with absolute purity. Swimming in a public pool is about community and relaxation, not about perfect control over what happens in the water. By seeing the pool as a shared space where everyone contributes equally, the experience can actually become liberating.

Instead of focusing on the minor inconveniences, it is better to focus on the fun and freedom that swimming offers. Everyone is welcome in the water, and that makes the pool a place of connection.