CDC Asks Swimmers To Bathe Before Swimming In Public Pools

Crystal clear, blue water at the local swimming pool does not necessarily mean the water is clean. The Center for Disease Control estimates 1 in every 8 pools across the country should be closed down for violating safety standards. The majority of those safety violations are directly related to the quality of water. Low chlorine levels are one of the most common offenses.

Chlorine is used to clean the water of bacteria that may be floating around. Bacteria in swimming pools can be blamed for thousands of illnesses every year. Flu viruses or other gastrointestinal viruses are easily spread in these bacteria laden pools. Kiddie pools or pools in daycare facilities had the highest number of violations. This largely because  kids urinate in the pool. Urine along with sunscreen, is a chlorine enemy. It virtually renders the chlorine ineffective. Fecal matter is another common issue among these kiddie pools.

Hotel/motel pools and apartment/condo pools ranked 2nd and 3rd among pools most likely to fail an inspection. The results are based on 121,000 routine pool inspections from 13 different states in 2008. The CDC urges swimmers to investigate the quality of water in their chosen pool before jumping in. Water test strips can be purchased at most pool and department stores for relatively cheap.

The CDC also asks that people who have diarrhea stay out of public swimming pools. Parents should change dirty diapers away from the pool area and thoroughly wash their hands before returning to the pool. It is also helpful if everybody bathes with soap before getting into a pool.