SWIMMING

One of the main concerns amongst all lakes within the NSRB is waterborne diseases. Untreated wastewater from sewage discharge can have significant impacts on human health and wellbeing. Over 200 harmful contaminants have been found in waste streams within Canada where a complex mixture of nutrients from human waste, household cleaning and industrial products, have been a large source of P-enriched nutrients in sewage⁴. Combined sewer overflows (CSO) or treatment bypasses from wastewater treatment plants are a few ways wastewater can unintentionally enter surface waterbodies⁴. Waterborne diseases from pathogens that can be found in bypasses and CSOs entering our surface water bodies are a significant danger to humans and wildlife. Some pathogens found in wastewater are Escherichia coli, Hepatitis A, and Cryptosporidium ¹ which can have severe health complications if exposed. Some health complications include digestive poisoning, human infectious diseases (ex. typhoid, giardiasis), diarrhea, vomiting, hepatitis, and respiratory infections².

Another major health concern among recreational lakes is the swimmer’s itch or cercarial dermatitis which is a globally distributed allergic rash that appears on the surface of the skin³. Studies found that this is due to parasitic flatworms (avian schistosomes) emerging from their snail in the larval cercarial stage that causes the rash when penetrated into the skin when swimming³. Pathogens that belong to the genera family of Trichobilharzia and Schistosomatium are more commonly found in North American freshwaters³. To observe pathogen species associated with causing swimmer’s itch, quantitative or real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) can be used. Species-differentiating qPCR tests can be a strategy to monitor harmful pathogen presence within lakes that can cause allergic reactions⁵  To be sure water is safe enough to swim in, Swim Guide is a non-profit organization that provides water quality and swim guides across the world, including the NSRB lakes.

Educational Resources

Healthy Beach Program – Government of Saskatchewan

Swimmer’s Itch Fact Sheet – Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

Watch Out! When Swimmer’s Itch is in the Water… – Government of Quebec

Swimming Safely in Lakes Rivers and Streams – American Red Cross