For Specific Groups
Publications, Data, & Statistics
Healthy Water Sites
- Drinking Water
- Healthy Swimming/Recreational Water
- Global Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene (WASH)
- Other Uses of Water
- Water-related Emergencies & Outbreaks
- Water-related Hygiene
Swimming and other water-related activities are excellent ways to get the physical activity and health benefits needed for a healthy life. Americans swim hundreds of millions of times in pools, oceans, lakes, rivers, and hot tubs/spas each year and most people have a safe and healthy time enjoying the water. However, it is important to be aware of ways to prevent recreational water illnesses (RWIs), sunburn, and drowning that can occur. CDC's Healthy Swimming Program and website, launched in 2001, provides information for the public, public health and medical professionals, and aquatics staff so everyone can maximize the health benefits of swimming while minimizing the risk of illness and injury.
Recreational Water Illness (noun):
- Illness caused by germs and chemicals found in the water we swim in
Healthy Swimming & Recreational Water Topics
Health Benefits
Chronic Illness, Mental Health, Older Adults…
Recreational Water Illnesses
Germs & Illnesses, Education & Prevention Materials, State Resources…
Pools & Hot Tubs
Design, Operation, Disinfection, Regulation…
Model Aquatic Health Code
FAQs, Development, Committees…
Swimmer Protection
Tips for Healthy Swimming, Pool and Hot Tub User Information…
Other Recreational Water Issues
Drowning, Injuries, Boating, Sun Protection, Extreme Heat…
Oceans, Lakes, & Rivers
Beach Monitoring, Water Quality Indicators…
Natación Saludable
Información en Español…
Healthy Swimming Fast Facts
- There are 10.4 million residential and 309,000 public swimming pools in the United States 1.
- In the United States during 2009, there were approximately 301 million swimming visits each year by persons over the age of six 2.
- Thirty-six percent of children aged 7-17 years, and 15% of adults in the United States, swim at least six times per year 2.
- About half (56.8%) of spas are in violation of local environmental health ordinances, and about 1 in 9 spas require immediate closure (11%) 3.
- The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals. U.S. Swimming Pool and Hot Tub Market 2011 [PDF - 1 page].
- US Census Bureau. Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2012. Arts, Recreation, and Travel: Participation in Selected Sports Activities 2009 [PDF - 2 pages]
- CDC. Surveillance Data from Public Spa Inspections — United States, May–September 2002. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2004;53(25):553-5
* Based on tracking of waterborne outbreaks from 1978-2008. Only confirmed causes have been included in the analyses. For outbreaks with multiple causes, each agent counted toward the total. Outbreak reporting is dependent on capacity to detect, investigate, and report the outbreaks. This requires health effects to be measured and these health effects to be easily linked to water exposure. Clusters of illnesses associated with chronic chemical exposures are not part of waterborne disease outbreak reporting or part of these lists.
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- For more information, please contact us at healthyswimming@
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Top Causes of All Recreational Water Outbreaks
Top 13 Causes:*
- Cryptosporidium
- Pseudomonas
- Shigella
- Legionella
- Norovirus
- Giardia
- E. coli
- Avian schistosomes, Disinfection agents & their byproducts (chlorine, bromine, hydrochloric acid) (tie)
- Leptospira
For a complete listing of water-related surveillance data, see CDC’s Surveillance Summaries for Waterborne Disease and Outbreaks.
