COLLEGE STATION, Texas — With summer right around the corner, making a splash in the pool may be on your to do list, but before you hit the water, a local pool in College Station weighs in on safety guidelines and bathing suits.
“We don’t require you wear any specific color while coming into the pool,” said Ashley Waldon, the city's Aquatics & Special Events Supervisor. “We do ask though that you do not wear basketball shorts or cotton t-shirts as a safety concern.”
Waldon is aquatics and special events supervisor Lagoon Pool in College Station.
While your swimsuit color may not be an issue here, the fabric you wear matters.
“Those materials kind of hold water a lot more and can make it difficult for weaker swimmers to swim so we try and make sure that everybody is wearing an actual swimsuit,” said Waldon. “That’s one of our requirements to come into the facility.”
Waldon says the lifeguarding staff receives audits regularly to make sure they are trained to go at a moment’s notice.
“If you are a little concerned and you would like to wear some brighter colors or darker colors, that could be helpful, but our lifeguarding staff is trained to recognize immediately and hop in the water if anyone is in danger,” said Waldon.
Alex Sorrells, pool manager and lifeguard at the pool, says he has not had issues seeing people in the pool, regardless of swimsuit color.
“Usually, their skin tone contrasts with the bottom of the pool really well so what they’re wearing isn’t a big deal,” Sorrells said.
In a 2020 study by the company “Alive Solutions” found the color of a swimsuit can impact visibility in some situations.
The Huffington Post also reports the brighter the swimsuit, the higher visibility your kids become, making it the easier to spot them in the water.
Whether you choose to wear a bright or dark swimsuit, Waldon reminds us to just have fun and enjoy the pool this summer.
“We just ask that you show up and be family friendly with your swimsuits that you come in with. We are a family environment, and we are here to serve the residents of College Station and Brazos County,” said Waldon.
You can learn more about the City of College Station pools here.