Recreational ("Bathing") Waters
Recreational use of water can have benefits to health and also adverse health effects if it is polluted or unsafe. Recreational water users may also be exposed to hazards such as excess heat, cold and sunlight.
WHO produces international norms on recreational water use and health in the form of Guidelines. The first edition of WHO's Guidelines for Safe Recreational Water Environments consists of two volumes. Volume 1, Coastal and Freshwaters has been completed and is available at the link below. Volume 2 Swimming Pools and Similar Recreational Environments has been finalized and will be available at the beginning of 2006.
WHO is a partner in Epibathe, a consortium of European research institutions carrying out an EC funded project to explore the relationship between microbial indicators and health outcomes in order to define appropriate guideline levels.
More information on Epibathe
Other documents available
Monitoring bathing waters
Water recreation and disease. Plausibility of infections: acute effects, sequelae and mortality
These documents take account of the "Annapolis Protocol", developed at a meeting organized in collaboration with USEPA and others; and a Code of Good Practice for Monitoring of Recreational Waters developed in collaboration with the European Commission and others.
Other useful information concerns water resources quality and emerging issues in water and infectious disease.
Read the 2003 WHO Feature
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Healthy recreational waters
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