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Water Pollution: Can it affect your swimming?

Ξ June 12th, 2008 | → | ∇ General |

 

Do you think polluted water won’t affect you when swimming in it, or do you never think about it? It is widely believed that viruses are the major cause of swimming associated illnesses. Viruses are responsible for gastroenteritis, hepatitis, and respiratory illnesses. They are also responsible for ear, nose, and throat problems.

Water pollution certainly can affect your swimming. Every year thousands of people get sick from swimming in contaminated water. The public has no guarantee that the beaches they visit are healthy places to swim and play at. So it is up to you take precautions when swimming in places where there are no warnings on unsafe waters due to contamination.

In addition to the above mentioned problems that can be attributed to swimming in polluted water there are others diseases such as salmonellosis, shigellosis, giardiasis, amoebic dysentery, skin rashes, “pink eye,”. Furthermore you can also get an infection caused by E. coli.

If we are swimming in a lake or ocean you can imagine all the potential pollutants dumped in there by rain runoff, manufacturing wastes dumped in there and other unclean sources of contamination that finds its way into your swimming water. Many coastal communities and cities don’t test their recreational beach waters regularly for bacteria that could make you sick.

A lot of communities don’t have routine procedures for notifying the public when beach waters are not safe for swimming. A warning system of unsafe water could help avoid unnecessary illness resulting from contaminated waters.

Some symptoms

The most common symptoms you might notice are diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, itching, skin rashes and fever.

Disease results

These diseases seldom threaten human life; however they can lead to a lot of physical discomfort. For select groups of the general population such as elderly persons, children, and people with weakened immune systems the physical consequences of these diseases can be more significant.

Disease preventive steps

• Swim at monitored beaches with posted test results.
• Avoid storm water discharge pipes.
• Avoid swimming for long periods in shallow water.
• Do not encourage birds to remain by feeding them.
• Dry yourself immediately after leaving the water.
• Shower when you’re done swimming.
• Don’t swim after a heavy rain.
• Avoid swallowing water when swimming.
• Avoid exposing any open wounds to beach water.

To help prevent some of the diseases and problems associated with swimming in contaminated water you need to be aware of the problems that can occur. Follow the preventive steps mentioned and try to select safer places to swim. Find out if there are warnings for the places you intend to swim and avoid them if such warnings are posted or have been put out or broadcast to the public. Sometimes these warnings are in the news on TV so pay attention if you hear such warnings.

About The Author

Charles Harmon is a software developer and article writer for websites. One of his favorite interests is reading your opinions which you can enter on http://cackel.com. Another is your gripes or bad experiences that you can voice at his PootoYou site. Charles can be reached from the Contact form at his personal website.