Can You Swim If Your Pool Is Green? Not Recommended

This is not the first time that I am bringing up the issue of green pool water here. I have published a few articles on the same, or related topics before.

But to answer this question, well, it is not safe to swim in green pool water. If the water in the pool is green, it is mostly indicative of algae in the water. You can be sure that where there is algae, there is a big breeding ground for different types of bacteria, fungi, and parasites that can cause various types of illnesses.

While some sources say you can swim in such water if the level of the water is enough, well, you shouldn’t. Instead of risking your health that way, I recommend you read my article on how to clear green pool water.

Even when a pool is maintained very well and on schedule, it still gets contaminated when swimmers pee in the pool. But that is not as bad as green, yellow, or blue algae, because algae shows a lack of chlorine. 

Why the pool water turns green

The main reason why the swimming pool water turns green is due to poor maintenance. Well, scrape that a bit; it changes its color when you neglect cleaning the pool, add chlorine, or shock the pool in good time.

When you are winterizing your above ground swimming pool, you might cover it when it already has some algae in the water. 

In that case, when you eventually get to uncover the pool, you might find that the water has turned green. However, please note that pool covers do not add algae in the water.

If you recently shocked the pool and the water turned light greenish, well, it means there were metal ions in the water. When you added chlorine, the metals oxidized, and that is where the green color comes from. However, this is a pale green color.

The dark green color is caused by faulty swimming pool filtration, bacteria, and algae infestations. Cleaning the pool and shocking it should clear the water. If it does not, you need to check the pH level of the water, the filtration system, or the chlorine level.

If you have been cleaning the pool yourself consistently and the water still stays green, you need to hire a professional pool cleaning service.

Why you should avoid swimming in green pool water

While we interact with green algae from time to time, well, you really should not strip down to your one-piece or two-piece swimsuit and get into the murky green water.

Avoid this, especially when the water has green slime at the top. This makes it gorier, and it will have more bacteria and algae that could harm your health.

Here are some reasons to avoid swimming in green water:

You don’t want to swallow the green water

There are many reasons why you should never swallow swimming pool water. However, even when you intentionally try to avoid it, some of the pool water will still find its way into your mouth. Even when you spit the water out, you still don’t want the green, slimy water in your mouth.

Another thing to consider is that water goes inside you when you swim. Women do experience entrapment of pool or bath water in their vag. While clean water is tolerable, slimy, and green water is a different story altogether.

It can irritate your skin and cause rashes

The green algae is most likely to harbor different types of insect larvae. The larva can cause skin irritation and rashes, and you want to avoid this.

If you have sensitive skin, you want to avoid getting into contact with dirty water because you don’t know how your skin will react.

Remember, since the green algae grows in the water because of neglect, you cannot be sure how many other bacteria types are in the water.

There could be mosquitoes

If there is still some chlorine in the water, mosquitoes will keep away. However, as the chlorine gets depleted, mosquitoes start laying eggs and breeding in the water.

There is every reason to avoid mosquito bites, so the best thing is to prevent the pool from getting green. But if it is already green, avoid swimming in the water at all.

The green water affects your visibility

Even if you wear the best swim goggles, the greenish color of the water is going to prevent proper vision when you swim.

This will in turn affect your swimming speed, since most people just love to put their heads down and swim towards the end.

If there are more people swimming in the green water, it is even more dangerous because you can collide with the others easily.

You can get a bacterial infection

If the water in the pool is looking dark green and is almost going black, well, that is not good at all because it indicates a large presence of bacteria feeding on the algae.

These bacteria breed fast since they feed on the algae. This is why even people who eat algae should avoid the ones in pools because it could be laden with bacteria.

Now, the main problem is that these bacteria can get into your stomach if you swallow the pool water. Remember, we said not to swim with a fresh piercing, but if you have a small cut anywhere, the bacteria can get into your bloodstream through the cut.

Swimming pool water can also get inside your ears, and you sure do not want bacteria lodged in your ears. They can also get into your body through the eyes and the nose.

You could slip on the poolside

If the algae is too large that it has turned slimy, it becomes very slippery. Once you step on the algae, you could be at great risk of slipping and falling inside the pool or on the poolside.

If you are swimming alone, it is even more dangerous to swim in the green pool water. Slipping and hitting your head at the edge of the pool could cause fainting or serious injury. If you fall back into the water, you could even drown to death.

Is green algae in pools harmful to humans?

Believe it or not, the green algae that is common in pools is not harmful to humans. However, we have said you should not swim in green pool water, so you might find this statement contradictory.

At worst, the green algae will cause skin rashes and itching. But even this should heal on its own after a few days.

The problem is not the algae. It is the bacteria that feed on it. These can be harmful to your health in various ways.

For instance, if you have a cut in your skin, the bacteria can get into your bloodstream that way. If you swallow the pool water or if it gets into your ears, nose, or eyes, the bacteria can find their way into your body and cause harm.

Besides bacteria, there could also be mosquitoes in the pool since they tend to breed in stagnant water, and this water is stagnant.  Mosquitoes spread malaria, and they could also attract other bigger insects that feed on their larva.

Overall, even if the water looks mildly green, it is just best not to swim in the pool in that condition. Use chlorine and other pool cleaning chemicals to clear the pool first.

Should you swim in a slimy pool?

Slimy water in the pool is an indication of algae and other organic and inorganic matter in the water. When you expose your skin to such, you could experience infection, irritation, and itching. On the same note, if you swallow even a small amount of such water, it could make you sick.

You should never swim in slimy pool water, even if it looks clear. If you touch the water with your hand and feel a thin, slimy layer at the top, please avoid swimming in it.

Not all algae types turn the water green. Some of them keep the water clear, but the algae is there all the same. If you experience such, you need to shock the pool first and then wait for at least 24 hours before swimming.

In the early stages of algae growth, most types usually remain colorless. However, soon after, they start being visible as they manifest their different colors.

Not only is the slimy algae bad for the skin because it attracts bacteria that cause skin rashes and irritation, but it can also make the pool too slippery. 

This can cause serious slipping accidents, and the last thing you want is to hit your head on the edge of the pool or drown.

It is not only algae that causes the slimy layer in the water. Other organic and inorganic materials can cause this too, when they dissolve.

This is why eating in the pool or in the pool area is discouraged because the food materials that fall into the water can become slimy and attract bacteria. Always ensure that you eat before swimming, but eat out of the pool area.

Trying to swim in home clothes can also introduce foreign material into the pool. Remember, chlorine only kills living things such as bacteria and germs. The inorganic material will still remain in the pool.

Wrapping it up

You should not swim in a dirty pool. Even when it is cleanest, there are still many concerns to bear in mind. For instance, people pee in pools, and due to poor hygiene, they leave fecal matter behind, in the water.

But you should not worry too much about the dirt that you cannot see. Chlorine can neutralize poop in the pool. However, when the water starts turning green, you just know that you have high contamination.

If there has been flooding, if you have had many people swimming in your pool, shock the pool water. This is going to take care of the organic and inorganic contamination they left behind.

Regular maintenance of the pool, and testing for chlorine, pH, calcium, and other things can help you to know what you need to improve. This will keep the water clean, and clear for a long time.