We’ve talked about the dangers of drinking pool water in the past, but that leads us to our next question: is ocean water safe to drink? Put plainly: absolutely not!
To learn more, keep reading today’s safety blog post.
Is Ocean Water Safe to Drink? No!
The water from our tap and the water from the ocean are very different. The bottom line is that ocean water is toxic to humans. Without getting too technical, here’s what you need to know: seawater is far too salty to ingest!
Basically, the human body is not able to get rid of all of that excess salt from seawater. Under normal circumstances, there are many ways in which the body dilutes and clears salt from your system. The way it does this is through naturally sweating and from your kidneys producing urine. If you have ever had sweat drip into your mouth and tasted that salty brine taste… well, you’ve witnessed this process working first hand.
To this end, it is absolutely crucial that people realize why it is not safe to drink seawater. In a nutshell, if the level of salt in your body is too heavily concentrated, your kidneys will not be able to properly flush out your system. They just won’t have enough freshwater available to dilute the salt. In the end, your body will run into serious trouble due to the heavy amounts of salt. So is ocean water safe to drink? Definitely not!
What if I Accidentally Drank Some Ocean Water?
Now, let’s take a step back. If you accidentally drank a bit of seawater, you are likely fine. Small quantities will typically have no effect on the body because people usually consume plenty of freshwater. This counteracts the damage of the excess salt and keeps the body working normally. Staying hydrated, but not overhydrated is the key.
Of course, this is not the case if you swallow large quantities of saltwater. If you accidentally consumed a lot of saltwater, then it is likely you’ll see some ill effects. Without fresh water, a person will likely become dehydrated or even suffer from bouts of diarrhea.
To counteract these issues, it is advisable that you drink clear salt-free water as soon as possible. Ideally, you’ll imbibe enough fresh water to mitigate the damage. That said, as with any potential medical trouble, the best advice will always come from a licensed professional. Consult your doctor as soon as possible to learn more.
What About Saltwater Pools?
We’ve written extensively about chorine and saltwater pools in the past. Now, no matter what pool you have installed, it’s always good advice to not drink the water. Besides salt content, there are also plenty of chemicals, or even bodily fluids, that may be lurking in the liquid. That said, no one should view a saltwater pool as more dangerous than any other type of pool. In general, salt water and ocean water are not safe to drink.
Saltwater pools are becoming more and more popular these days. Chlorine is the traditional approach to keeping your pool clean. However, saltwater is becoming a seriously interesting option for many homeowners. But is the pool water or the ocean water safe to drink? As we’ve learned in this article, it is most certainly not. Try to keep your mouth closed while swimming. Now, hop on in, the water’s fine!
