Have you ever been to a pool and gotten a whiff of a strong chemical smell, and thought, “Wow, there’s a lot of chlorine in that pool?” It’s actually the result of organic matter such as dirt, sweat, urine or worse that reacts with the chlorine and reduces its effectiveness to kill germs.
Swimming is fun and has great healthful benefits from the physical activity; that’s why it’s important to keep it clean. The water we share and swim in is not germ free. Even when the concentration of pool chemicals is well maintained, germs aren’t instantly killed. Every year there are illness outbreaks related to recreational water.
Protect your health and the health of your family and friends with a few steps to keep germs out of the pool:
- Stay out of the water if you feel ill.
- Shower before you get in the water.
- Every hour—everyone out! Take frequent bathroom breaks.
- Don’t swallow the water.
Recently, the Board of Supervisors proclaimed May 23-29 as Healthy and Safe Swimming Week to bring awareness about recreational water illness. Healthy swimming is not just about the steps the pool operators and pool inspectors take — it’s up to all of us to keep it clean. So, before you jump into the pool, head off to the water park or hop into that hot tub, be sure to make a healthy splash that shares the fun and not the germs.
