When
You Swim, Swim Healthy!
From the Centers from Disease Control
Swimming, one of the most popular activities in the country, is a
fun, active, and healthy way to spend leisure time. Every year, millions
of people visit “recreational water” sites, such as swimming pools,
water parks, hot tubs, lakes, rivers, or the ocean.
Over the past century, the use of modern disinfection systems in pools
and environmental improvements in our lakes, rivers, and oceans has
improved the quality of recreational water. Despite this, there has
been an increase over the past decade in the number of outbreaks of
illness associated with swimming.
This Web site provides information for swimmers, pool operators, and
public health professionals to improve the swimming experience by
raising awareness about the spread of recreational water illnesses
(RWIs). Practicing "Healthy Swimming" behaviors should reduce
the risk of getting ill.
What are Recreational Water Illnesses
(RWI)?
RWIs are illnesses that are spread by swallowing,
breathing, or having contact with contaminated water from swimming
pools, spas, lakes, rivers, or oceans. Recreational water illnesses
can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including skin, ear, respiratory,
eye, and wound infections. The most commonly reported RWI is diarrhea.
Diarrheal illnesses can be caused by germs such as Crypto, short for
Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella, and E. coli O157:H7.
View and print an RWI
Brochure (PDF).
How are RWIs
spread?
Keep in mind that you share the water with everyone
else in the pool, lake, or ocean.
Diarrheal Illnesses
If swimmers are ill with diarrhea, the germs that
they carry can contaminate the water if they have an "accident"
in the pool. On average people have about 0.14 grams of feces on their
bottoms which, when rinsed off, can contaminate recreational water.
When people are ill with diarrhea, their stool can contain millions
of germs. Therefore, swimming when ill with diarrhea can easily contaminate
large pools or waterparks. In addition, lakes, rivers, and the ocean
can be contaminated by sewage spills, animal waste and water runoff
following rainfall. Some common germs can also live for long periods
of time in salt water.
So, if someone swallows water that has been contaminated with feces,
he/she may become sick. Many of these diarrhea-causing germs do not
have to be swallowed in large amounts to cause illness.
Other RWIs
Many other RWIs (eye, skin, ear, and respiratory
infections) are caused by germs that live naturally in the environment
(water, soil). In the pool or hot tub, if disinfectant is not maintained
at the appropriate levels, these germs can increase to the point where
they can cause illness when swimmers breathe or have contact with
water containing these germs.
Where are RWIs
found?
In addition to swimming pools, swimming in contaminated
hot tubs, oceans, lakes, rivers, and playing in decorative water fountains
can also spread RWIs.
Hot Tubs
Skin infections like "hot tub rash" are
the most common RWIs spread through hot tubs and spas. Chlorine and
other disinfectant levels evaporate more quickly because of the higher
temperature of the water in the tubs. It is important to check disinfectant
levels even more regularly than in swimming pools. "Hot tub rash"
can also occur in pools and at the lake or beach.
Decorative Water
Fountains
Not all decorative or interactive fountains are
chlorinated or filtered. Therefore, when people, especially diaper-aged
children, play in the water, they can contaminate the water with fecal
matter. Swallowing this contaminated water can then cause diarrheal
illness.
Lakes, Rivers,
and Oceans
Lakes, rivers, and oceans can become contaminated
with germs from sewage, animal waste, water runoff following rainfall,
fecal accidents, and germs rinsed off the bottoms of swimmers. It
is important to avoid swallowing the water because natural recreational
water is not disinfected. Avoid swimming after rainfalls or in areas
identified as unsafe by health departments. Contact your state or
local health department for results of water testing in your area
or go to EPA's beach site or their National Health Protection Survey
of Beaches.
Who is most likely
to get ill from an RWI?
Children, pregnant women, and people with compromised
immune systems (such as those living with AIDS, those who have received
an organ transplant, or those receiving certain types of chemotherapy)
can suffer from more severe illness if infected. People with compromised
immune systems should be aware that recreational water might be contaminated
with human or animal waste that contains Cryptosporidium (or Crypto),
which can be life threatening in persons with weakened immune systems.
People with a compromised immune system should consult their health
care provider before participating in behaviors that place them at
risk for illness.
How can we
prevent RWIs?
Practice these three "PLEAs" to stop germs
from causing illness at the pool:
