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It’s close to summer, and many people are excited about
the upcoming swimming season. Pools, lakes and ponds are all
places where families go to enjoy swimming. However, those
same fun places can harbor”recreational water diseases” from
contaminated water. The Fairfield Department of Health (FDH)
wants to be sure that all our residents enjoy summer fun and
stay healthy by understanding how recreational water diseases
are caused and how to prevent them from making people sick.
These diseases are caused by germs that can contaminate water in
pools, lakes and oceans. The most common illness is diarrhea
caused by germs like Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella and
E.coli. A person with diarrhea can contaminate a swimming
pool. If swimmers swallow the contaminated water, they may
become ill.
Public pools, spas and special use
pools are required to maintain certain levels of disinfectants
in the water, such as chlorine or bromine that destroy
disease causing bacteria, viruses and parasites. Some
parasites, like “Cryptosporidium”, can live in a pool for days.
. "Remember it is everyone’s
responsibility to help insure a safe swimming experience, so if
you are ill please don't swim,” say Fairfield Department of
Health Environmental Director Larry Hanna.
To keep your
water experience as safe as possible, please follow the
following health tips:
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Do not swim when you have diarrhea. This is really
important especially for children in diapers.
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Do not swallow pool water; keep your mouth closed while in
the water
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Do practice good hygiene; take a shower before swimming.
Wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet
or changing a diaper.
For more information about
recreational water illnesses, please log on to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention website,
www.healthyswimming.org.
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