Why We Need to
Prevent Pool Accidents

"Children are prime targets for norovirus and other RWI’s that can live in lakes, oceans and swimming pools because they’re so much more likely to get the water in their mouths. Keeping germs out of the water in the first place is key to keeping everyone healthy and helping to keep the places we swim open all summer."

-Michael Beach, Ph.D, the CDC's associate director for healthy water.

What are RWIs? Recreational water illnesses (RWIs) are caused by germs that are spread by swallowing contaminated water present in swimming pools, hot tubs, water parks, lakes, and oceans.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), there has been an increase in the number of RWI outbreaks in the past two decades.

The most common RWI is diarrhoea. Other RWI infections include:

• gastrointestinal

• skin

• ear

• respiratory

• eye

• neurologic

• wound

• most common is diarrhoea (caused by germs like Crypto and E. coli)

Chlorine and other disinfectants don't kill germs instantly. Also, the mixing of chlorine with pee and sweat uses up the chlorine in the pool, which would otherwise kill germs. If too many people pee in the pool or dive in while sweaty, that could mean less available chlorine to wipe out germs.