After reading this, you might not want to use a swimming pool ever again

Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water

So your local leisure centre may not be the most glamorous place in the world, but it's okay, right?

Think again.

*Full disclosure*, if you're reading this whilst eating lunch, you might want to stop and wait until you've consumed your sandwich before continuing.

If you've kept your mouth firmly closed whilst swimming around a floating plaster in your local pool, then you're definitely not alone. The Centre for Disease Control reported that over the course of 84,000 inspections in swimming facilities (this includes jacuzzis, swimming pools, hot tubs and water parks), 80% of the pools tested had at least one health violation.

The most popular infractions are harmful pH levels, dangerous levels of disinfectant and issues with pool safety equipment.

So, to put this in hugely hyperbolic terms, by taking a dip in your local swimming pool you could be putting yourself at risk of getting an eye infection, skin irritation or, wait for it, ingesting a bit of someone else's wee. Because if you really think about it, you're basically taking a massive bath with a whole load of strangers.

But wait! Before you give up swimming pools for good, which would quite frankly be a travesty as it's one of the only forms of exercise we actually enjoy, the very good news is that this research comes from America, so it's not describing British swimming pools. The bad news is that if you're are planning a trip across the pond any time soon, you might want to reconsider your swimming options. To the sea... !