Key Reasons Why People Get Sick From Swimming
While our aim on those sunny Saturday mornings is to carefully treat our swimming pool to maintain it’s bright and sparkly state, it’s good to remember that a clean pool isn’t always a healthy pool. It’s still possible to get sick from swimming, even in the bluest of pools.
So, what can we do to make sure that those invisible lurgys that may make our family and friends ill are treated correctly?
Here’s what you need to know.
Reasons Why You Would Get Sick From Swimming
It may sound obvious, but don’t drink the pool water. It’s important to remember that you’re dosing your pool with chlorine, a chemical compound designed to kill stuff. So, while you may occasionally and unintentionally gulp a mouthful of pool water, try not to. And if possible, prevent your pets from drinking from the pool too!
While on the topic of chlorine, we’ve been using it for decades as a highly efficient water cleaning agent. However, while most germs are killed on contact, others can take days before the chlorine takes effect. For example, Cryptosporidium is a microscopic parasite which can infect the intestinal tract of people and animals giving us a nasty case of diarrhoea. Chlorine will certainly kill this guy, but it takes a few days. (There’s another reason not to drink the pool water!)
It stands to reason that you shouldn’t use your pool as a toilet, I think we all agree with this one. However, if you have little people and they want to enjoy a dip, then make sure that they wear a well-fitting swimming nappy. Accidents happen, and if they happen in your pool then you’re all swimming in faecal matter – which is bad.
If you or your family have been getting sick after swimming, then we’d encourage you to treat the pool and let the chemicals do their work for a few days before hopping back in. Pool Spa are masters of the swimming pool realm, and if you come unstuck feel free to give us a call.
