Could your favourite swimming spot make you sick?
Sun, sand, sea… what could be better during the summer? The last thing on most peoples’ minds while swimming outdoors is potential bacterial contamination.
In this article, Marc Hamilton, President of Eurofins EnvironeX, describes how the water in oceans, rivers, lakes, and ponds can become contaminated, posing risks to the health of outdoor bathers.
Q: What’s in the water we might swim in this summer?
“It’s not just sharks and other dangerous aquatic animals that can pose a risk to swimmers, it’s also hidden dangers such as bacteria,” says Marc.
“Just because you can’t see E. coli drifting near you, doesn’t mean it can’t cause you trouble.”
Q: Should swimmers be worried about water contamination?
“Bathing waters may contain microorganisms such as blue-green algae, bacteria, viruses, parasites, or other pollutants,” Marc warns.
“Exposure to contaminated water can cause numerous adverse health effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, stomach aches, eye, ear or throat infections, and even fevers.”
Q: How does water become contaminated?
“Contamination in oceans, rivers, lakes, and ponds can be caused by animals, sewage spills, runoff from rainstorms, or even other swimmers through sweat, sunscreen, skin cells, hair, saliva, and trace amounts of feces.”
“For instance, during and after rainstorms, materials are transported to the oceans, which generally increases bacteria levels in the water for two or three days.”
“While chlorine or bromine kills most of the germs in pools, treating large bodies of contaminated water such as oceans, rivers, or lakes is more difficult,” Marc explains.
Q: So how can outdoor swimmers stay safe?
“The most important thing to do is to gather information about the quality of the water. Many countries and authorities work with laboratories to regularly test the quality of bathing water at popular swimming spots, and the results are usually published publicly,” Marc describes.
“Before you jump in, whether it’s the sea or a lake, take a close look at your surroundings and watch out for any signs or notices for swimmers.”
“Whenever possible, keep your mouth closed and avoid gulping down water while swimming. Swallowing the water can increase the risk of adverse health effects, as the water may contain high levels of bacteria and other pathogens,” Marc explains.
“If you’re at the beach, swim during low tide. The sea can quickly become deeper during high tide, so you may have better luck in not taking a wave to the face if you time your dip right!”
“Don’t go swimming if you have an open cut or other broken skin,” Marc advises.
“And finally, don’t forget to rinse off after swimming, because bacteria can cling to your skin for hours. Change out of your bathing suit as soon as you’re out of the water.”