It’s hot, and your local river looks enticing. But is too germy for swimming?

<https://theconversation.com/its-hot-and-your-local-river-looks-enticing-but-is-too-germy-for-swimming-198506>

"Swimming in rivers, creeks and lakes can be a fun way to cool off in summer.
But contamination in natural waterways can pose a risk to human health.

Waterborne pathogens can cause acute gastrointestinal illnesses such as
diarrhea and vomiting. Other common illnesses include skin rashes, respiratory
problems, and eye and ear infections.

Unfortunately, it can be hard to find out if a waterway in Australia is safe
for recreation. By contrast, a comprehensive system in Aotearoa-New Zealand,
called Can I Swim Here?, provides timely water quality information for 800
beach, river and lake sites.

We have investigated the benefits and barriers associated with opening up
waterways for recreation. Unsurprisingly, ensuring a local swimming site is
safe is key to getting people using it. That includes giving people access to
accurate information about water quality."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics