Would YOU pee in a hotel pool? Mum confesses that she does as 'no one knows' and getting out is too much effort... but her admission sparks fiery responses

When a mum asked users of an online parenting forum if anyone pees in the pool on holiday, the replies were generally awash with revulsion.

But some users admitted they do, with one commenting that she does because she 'can’t be a***d to get out'.

The debate erupted on Mumsnet after user ‘Blondiebeachbabe’ posed the question: 'Am I being unreasonable to think that most people pee in the pool on holiday? Do you?'

Dozens of parents responded in disgust at the question and insisted that they would never urinate in a public swimming pool - with some expressing 'shock' at the notion. 

One mum, 'sandrapinchedmysandwich', reacted in horror, stating: 'No. That is disgusting. Stop being dirty and lazy. Urgh.' 

Mumsnet user 'Blondiebeachbabe' posed the question: 'Am I being unreasonable to think that most people pee in the pool on holiday? Do you?' It led to a heated debate

While 'Floralnomad' added: 'Normal, toilet-trained adults do not pee in swimming pools.' 

Plus, 'Tamigotxh' wrote: 'No, I don’t pee in swimming pools at home or on holiday. Things like this put me off swimming.

'I wish people wouldn’t be so disgusting and selfish. Hoping only a small minority do this. Well I wish no one would do it at all, never mind a small minority, but sadly that’s unrealistic.'

Another Mumsnet user, 'CulturalNomad', added: 'As disgusting as it is, I'm sure it's quite common and there's not enough chlorine in the world to make it OK to swim in other people's pee. 

'I've overheard mums in the pool tell their kids to "just go" when the child says they need to get out and pee.' 

A number of women said that while they would never urinate in a swimming pool they often did when wading in the sea - though this also sparked some distaste, the thread launched into a furious debate when one woman came out as the first to admit she did often pee in the pool. 

Some studies have reportedly shown that urea - which is found in urine and sweat - reacts with chlorine to form disinfection byproducts, which can cause eye irritation

Controversial poster 'IWillAdmit' commented: 'I do. [I'm an] adult female for what it's worth.' 

This sparked an angry reaction from other mums, with 'Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain' asking 'Why? Why would you do this?'

The anonymous pool pee-er replied: 'Loads of other people do so why not (maybe it’s just kids but even so if I’m swimming in kids’ wee I may as well swim in my own).

'I can’t be a***d to get out, no one knows and I can.'

Later in the thread, they added: 'I can’t believe I’m the only one that admitted it. I'm genuinely shocked. 

'To be completely truthful I will most likely think about this thread and giggle as I pee. I know, I know - I’m a horrid person.'

Poster 'ToxicChristmas' replied to the woman and said: 'I suppose at least you're honest about being an absolute minger.' 

Soon after this, a number of other parents weighed in on the conversation to admit that they too urinated in swimming pools. 

Honest commenter 'Katbum' said: 'Everyone saying no is lying, surely. Yes, I pee in the pool. 

'That’s what the chemicals are for - pee [is] not worse than sweat, spit, snot.' 

While 'shearwater2' noted: 'I do go to the loo when I need a wee but sometimes swimming/the effect of water still makes me wee, as does getting in the shower. So, yes, in small amounts.'

Mumsnet user 'IWillAdmit' confessed to peeing in hotel swimming pools, reasoning 'loads of other people do so why not'

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Pragmatic poster 'OneBadKitty' added to the debate and said: 'Pools are disgustingly filthy anyway so it probably wouldn't make much difference. Everyone's vaginal secretions, sweat, spit, snot and faeces from their bodies are already floating around in the water.'

But, to what extent is this true  - are our pools full of wee and does this pose a health risk to those swimming in them? 

According to a study from the University of Alberta, in Canada, the average public swimming pool contains an enormous 75 litres of urine. 

The study, released in 2017, ascertained how much urine is in pools and hot tubs by testing for an artificial sweetener - acesulfame potassium (ACE) - which is often used in processed foods like sodas and baked goods. 

The sweetener is chemically stable and so stays intact after digestion. Measuring the amount present in swimming pools and hot tubs indicated to the scientists how much human wee was in each body of water. 

The team judged that swimmers released more than 32 litres of urine in one 500,000-litre pool, while they urinated nearly 90 litres in a one-million-litre pool, which is about one third of the size of an Olympic pool. 

According to a study from the University of Alberta, in Canada, the average public swimming pool contains an enormous 75 litres of urine 

'Our study provides additional evidence that people are indeed urinating in public pools and hot tubs,' said Lindsay K Jmaiff Blackstock, a graduate student at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, and lead author of the study. 

So, we know that a lot more people are peeing in pools than admitted it on Mumsnet - but are some authors correct that it doesn't pose any actual risk to swimmers? 

Some studies have reportedly shown that urea - which is found in urine and sweat - reacts with chlorine to form disinfection byproducts (DBPs).

These can cause both eye irritation and respiratory problems, the studies claim. 

This means it is always best to remove yourself from the pool when you're on holiday and need to urinate - and not pay heed to Mumsnet users or, indeed, American Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps, who admitted at the 2012 Olympics that he urinates in the pool. 

'I think everybody pees in the pool,' he said.