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Healthy Swimming
As temperatures outside continue to rise and public swimming pools begin to open, it's important to remember to practice healthy swimming habits to ensure a healthy and safe swimming experience for everyone.
Swimming pools are equipped with a mechanical system to deliver a disinfectant, usually a form of chlorine, to kill germs; however the germs associated with feces are difficult to kill in pools at normal chlorine levels. The best way to prevent recreational water illnesses (RWIs) is to keep germs out of the pool in the first place. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages following these six swimming tips for a healthy swimming experience:
• Don't swim when you have diarrhea
• Avoid swallowing the pool water or even getting it in your mouth
• Practice good hygiene. Shower with soap before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. Germs on your body end up in the water.
• Take your kids on bathroom breaks or check diapers often
• Change diapers in the bathroom or diaper-changing area, not poolside
• Wash your child thoroughly with soap and water before swimming
In addition, ask the pool operator about chlorine and pH levels and the latest pool inspection score. The pH is probably the most important factor in swimming pool water and should be tested and adjusted on a weekly basis. Measuring the pH level is a way to assess the relative acidity or alkalinity of the pool water. pH is measured on a scale of 1 to 14 where 1 is extremely acidic and 14 is extremely alkaline. A pH reading of 7.0 is neutral - below 7.0 is acidic - above 7.0 is alkaline.
Encourage pool operators to take steps shown to kill the germs that cause (RWIs) and Educate other swimmers about RWIs to promote healthy swimming.
Although public health professionals regularly inspect public pool facilities to make sure that steps are taken to promote healthy and safe swimming, these inspections are only one part of the solution to prevent illnesses linked to recreational water.
"Pool inspections are vital to helping state and local government pool programs keep swimmers healthy and safe, but pool inspectors can′t be at every pool every day. It′s important for people to play an active role in protecting their own health when they swim," said Michele Hlavsa, chief of the Healthy Swimming Program at CDC. "By working together, we can decrease the risk of illness and make sure swimming is not only fun, but healthy too."
For more information on healthy swimming, call 1-800-CDC-INFO, visit the CDC website or go to the Georgia Department of Community Health website.