Public pools in any community are recreational havens. They can also be health hazards. While the most common safety risk associated with swimming is usually drowning, few think of water quality.

Jan. 14, 2010

What’s in the water: How the quality of the water in your pool affects your health. Bacteria and parasites in a pool can cause water illnesses in swimmers. Great Lakes Echo investigates how safe public pools are in Ingham County, Mich.

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Common Recreational Water Illnesses. Humans can contact a range of illnesses from poorly maintained pools. Learn about the bacteria and viruses behind water diseases.

Jan. 15, 2010

The people running your pool. Some states require the people maintaining pools to be trained and certified through the National Pool and Spa Foundation. One study finds a link between the number of violations a pool has and whether or not their operator is certified.

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Unsure of how well a pool is maintained? Learn how to test it yourself. Swimmers can test the chemical levels of a pool before they swim by using  testing kits purchased from home improvement or pool chemical stores.