Disease Awareness

We also however need to be aware of swimming pool safety (at home and abroad and in waterparks). Not just the risks of drowning, but also the need for testing and maintaining good, clean swimming pool water. Disease Awareness isssential at all times. As is the need to adopt sensible health and hygienic precautions before swimming; to prevent spread of disease. Safe swimming is the key, and will allow the benefits of exercise and fun to be enjoyed by everyone.

RWIs (Recreational Water Illnesses) are illnesses 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; gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurological and wound infections. The most common RWI is diarrhoea. This  can be caused by germs such as Crypto, short for Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella, norovirus and E. coli O157:H7. It is important to remember that some of these bacteria and viruses can live in water for several days. And, that chlorine does not work immediately. So, if someone swallows water that has been contaminated with faeces, he/she may become sick. Many of these diarrhoea-causing germs do not have to be swallowed in large amounts to cause illness. Non-diarrhoeal illness including fungal infections: e.g. skin, can also spread via water so be aware of risks to others!

While owners of swimming pools have a duty to ensure that the pool water is correctly tested and treated with disinfectants at the recommended safe levels. Swimmers and parents of children swimming also have a responsibility to ensure that if someone is showing signs of infection, especially diarrhoea, that they do not swim. If diagnosed with gastroenteritis, refraining from entering the pool for up to 1 week is recommended.