Health Department
Urges Lake County Residents to Swim Safely
Waukegan, Ill. – Healthy
and Safe Swimming Week, May 21-27, 2018, is observed the week before Memorial
Day, which marks the unofficial start of
swimming season. This year’s theme is “Swim Healthy. Stay Healthy.” Take action
to protect yourself from illness and prevent the spread of germs when swimming. And before you head out to your favorite lake or beach, make sure to check and see if it is open for swimming.
“Swimming
is a great way for Lake County residents to exercise and cool off in the summer,”
said Mark Pfister, Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center Executive
Director. “Whether swimming at your local pool or enjoying family time on your
favorite beach, residents need to do their part to help prevent recreational water
illnesses.”
Recreational
water illnesses (RWIs) are caused by germs spread by swallowing, breathing in,
or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, hot tubs/spas,
water playgrounds or fountains, lakes, rivers, or oceans. RWIs can also be
caused by chemicals. Diarrhea is the most common RWI.
Here are ways
to protect yourself from illness at pools and water parks:
- Don’t
swim or let your children swim when sick with diarrhea.
- Don’t
swallow the water.
- Check out the pool’s latest inspection report and do your own mini-inspection (check that
you can see the pool drain, locate the lifeguard on duty, and locate safety
equipment that is available).
- Take
children on bathroom breaks every 60 minutes.
- Check
diapers every 30–60 minutes and change them in a bathroom or diaper-changing
area–not waterside–to keep germs away from the water.
- Shower
before you enter the water.
The Health
Department monitors lake water for bacteria in over 100 Lake Michigan and
inland lake beaches to ensure that the water is acceptable for swimming. From
Memorial Day to Labor Day, beach closure information can be found on the Health
Department’s Beach Advisory web page, http://www.lakecountyil.gov/2385/Beach-Advisory, which is updated daily by 10:00 a.m.
“When our
water sampling tests indicate a high bacteria count, a swim ban is issued to
keep people out of the water until the water quality improves,” said Mike Adam,
senior biologist with the Health Department. “High bacteria counts may be
caused by storm water runoff, sewage overflow, nearby septic failure, or large
quantities of droppings from geese or seagulls.”
Follow
these tips to avoid hazards when swimming in our lakes this summer:
- Before
heading to your favorite lake, check if the beach is open on the Health
Department website. If a swim ban is in place, do not swim in the lake.
- Avoid
swimming in lakes after a large rain event, since rainfall can wash pollutants
into lakes resulting in elevated bacteria levels.
- On
Lake Michigan, don’t swim during times of heavy surf (i.e., high waves), which
can overpower even the strongest swimmer.
- On
inland lakes, occasional harmful algae blooms may occur. Avoid areas where the
water has a green or blue-green appearance. Report any algae blooms to the
Health Department.
Throughout
the summer, the Health Department samples 10 beaches along Lake Michigan four
days per week:
- North
Point Marina Beach Winthrop Harbor
- Illinois
Beach State Park North Beach Zion
- Illinois
Beach State Park South Beach Zion
- Illinois
Beach State Park Resort Beach Zion
- Waukegan
North Beach Waukegan
- Waukegan
South Beach Waukegan
- Lake
Bluff Sunrise Beach Lake Bluff
- Forest
Park Beach Lake Forest
- Park
Avenue Beach Highland Park
- Rosewood
Beach Highland Park
The Health
Department also samples Moraine Dog Beach in Highland Park and Lake Bluff Dog
Beach once a week.
Test
samples taken from Lake County beaches indicate bacteria levels exceeding water
quality standards approximately 10 percent of the time. When bacteria levels
are high, the Health Department notifies the beach’s manager and signs are
posted indicating a swim ban is in place. Water samples are taken daily until
the bacteria levels fall below the standard.
For more
information on beach monitoring, please call Lake County Health Department’s
Environmental Services at: (847) 377-8020.
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