Can swallowing pool water make you sick?
There you are, floating in the pool with nary a care in the world. Suddenly, an errant water toy lands on your stomach. Caught off guard, you flail around in the pool, taking in a big gulp of water as you regain your balance.
Drinking pool water might not seem like a walk on the wild side, but it's definitely something that should be avoided. That's because contaminated pool water is a prime cause of an intestinal bug known as "recreational water illness." (And no, recreational water illness is not a good time unless ear, skin and eye infections or a round of diarrhea are fun for you.)
Recreational water illnesses are caused by invisible-to-the-eye germs like giardia, E. coli and shigella that contaminate pool water. Chlorine kills most of the germs that cause these stomach ailments, but it doesn't work instantly. And some of these germs, like Cryptosporidium, better known as Crypto, are resistant to chlorine.
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So if someone who has diarrhea goes swimming in a pool, fecal matter can contaminate the water. And that can lead to illness. Children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems who are exposed to these kinds of germs can get sicker than other people.
The number of people affected by recreational water illnesses each year is unknown. Most cases go unreported, although there have been 150 confirmed outbreaks affecting thousands of people during the last 10 years, involving water parks, spas and hot tubs. It can take several weeks before the germs in the water cause illness, so many people don't realize their illness is related to swimming.
It's a good idea to rinse off before you jump in the pool to remove fecal matter or other germs. And if you've been sick with diarrhea, stay out of the water.
What is the worst thing that could happen if you swallow pool water that has fecal in it?