Recreational Water Illness
Our goal is to highlight the importance of healthy swimming habits to prevent recreational water illnesses (RWI). Recreational waters in New Mexico include swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, hot springs, lakes and rivers.
There are many types of illnesses that people can get from recreational waters; the most common reported RWI is diarrhea caused by pathogens such as Cryptosporidium (Crypto), Escherichia coli O157:H7, Giardia and Shigella. Other RWI's seen in New Mexico include hot tub rash, Legionnaires disease, swimmer’s ear and swimmer’s itch.
Before you enjoy your favorite water sport, keep these water illness tips in mind
- Knowing how you can get sick when swimming and having healthy swimming habits play important roles in stopping the spread of illness through water. Germs on and in swimmers’ bodies end up in the water and can make other people sick. Even healthy swimmers can get sick from recreational waters, but the young, elderly, pregnant women and immunosuppressed persons are especially at risk. Specific actions you can take to promote healthy swimming include:
- Do NOT swim when you have diarrhea
- Do NOT swim for 2 weeks after diarrhea stops.
- Do NOT swallow pool water or get pool water or other types of untreated water, such as lake water or river water, in your mouth.
- Shower well with soap and water before swimming (Children too!).
- Wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers.
- Take children on bathroom breaks and change diapers often away from the pool.
- Change children’s diapers in a bathroom, not at poolside.
- Shower off and towel dry after getting out of lakes and rivers to avoid rashes.
- Bathe and wipe down pets who have jumped or played in recreational waters.
FAQ's
These CDC documents raise awareness about recreational water illnesses (RWIs) by answering swimmers' and aquatics staff's most frequently asked questions. CDC Healthy Swimming FAQ
Protocols
Protocols recommended for disinfecting swimming pool water that has been contaminated. Depending on the type of contamination, procedures should be followed to protect public and facility staff from infection or illness.
Water Sample Collection Protocol
Resources
- SWIM HEALTHY- CDC
- POOL PROGRAM - NMED
- POOL SAFETY- Albuquerque
- Aquatics Program - Bernalillo County
- Pool Safety - Bernalillo County
- Aqautics Staff - CDC
- Pool Safety Council
- Indian Health Service -IHS
- Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau Water Quality
- Hyperclorination Guidelines
Recreational Water Illness
Information for the Public
Available Materials
- Pool posters
- Prevention Material - CDC
- Healthy Swimming Brochure
- Crypto Flow Chart
- Crypto Facts - English
- Crypto Facts - Spanish
- Crypto Outbreak Response Guidelines
- Crypto Resources for Pool Operators
- US Swimming Presentation
Videos
View our Healthy Swimming Videos
- "Healthy Swimming is No Accident"
- "In the Swim of Things"