Recreational Water
CDC's Healthy Swimming/Recreational Water – CDC's portal for information about swimming and recreational water illness prevention including brochures, and videos
Cryptosporidiosis Outbreak Response & Evaluation (CORE) [PDF - 224 KB] – guidelines for health departments, aquatics operators/managers, and child care program operators
Drop of News – newsletter highlighting state and local waterborne disease surveillance activities and informal CDC updates on waterborne disease and outbreak surveillance initiatives
Environmental Health Systems Approach to Recreational Water Illness Prevention [PDF - 165 KB] or DOC [54 KB] – form in which to enter data for a better understanding of how the aquatic facility works
Environmental Public Health Online Courses (EPHOC) – a comprehensive online/on-demand package of courses for environmental public health practitioners including a module on swimming pools and recreational facilities
Health Hazard Evaluation Report: Investigation of Employee Symptoms at an Indoor Waterpark, Mason, OH [PDF - 1.3 MB] – results of the NIOSH investigation on the cause of symptoms reported at the Great Wolf Lodge indoor waterpark resort in Mason, Ohio
Healthy Housing Reference Manual – revision provides information on the impact of housing on health and safety and includes a chapter on swimming pools and spas
Journal of Environmental Health Articles Related to the National Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week
May 2011 [PDF - 180 KB] – discusses using education, engineering, and enforcement to combat recreational water illnesses
May 2010 [PDF - 718 KB] – discusses a new pool inspection data study and the Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC)
May 2009 [PDF - 675 KB] – describes the importance of building a strong national model pool code
May 2008 [PDF - 171 KB] – discusses new CDC online reporting system linked to foodborne and other waterborne disease reports
May 2007 [PDF - 197 KB] – simple RWI week activities can be the first step in developing an RWI prevention plan
May 2006 [PDF - 180 KB] – discusses the increase of recreational water illnesses and what local and state health departments can use to control the problem
MMWR - Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports
Communitywide Cryptosporidiosis Outbreak --- Utah, 2007
Cryptosporidiosis Outbreaks Associated with Recreational Water Use --- Five States, 2006
Cryptosporidiosis Surveillance -- United States, 2006-2008
Giardiasis Surveillance -- United States, 2006-2008
Ocular and Respiratory Illness Associated with an Indoor Swimming Pool --- Nebraska, 2006
Respiratory and Ocular Symptoms Among Employees of a Hotel Indoor Waterpark Resort --- Ohio, 2007
Surveillance Data from Public Spa Inspections --- United States, May--September 2002
Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) – a model and guide under development for local and state agencies needing guidance to update or implement an MAHC in their jurisdictions
Prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia intestinalis in swimming pools, Atlanta, Georgia [PDF - 211 KB] – study to determine baseline prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia intestinalis in swimming pool filter backwash
Recommendations for Preventing Pool Chemical–Associated Injuries – seven categories of CDC recommendations for preventing pool chemical-associated injuries
Recreational Water Illness and Injury (RWII) Prevention Week – information about National Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week
Reports by Environmental Public Health Leadership Institute Graduates
These reports were prepared by graduates of CDC’s Environmental Public Health Leadership Institute. These documents have not been revised or edited to conform to agency standards. The findings and conclusions in these reports are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Safe Swimming: A Call For Stakeholders To Become Involved [PDF - 242 KB]
Links to information from outside CDC
Battling the Parasite in Your Local Pool (Wall Street Journal) – news article about new measures to battle the threat of Cryptosporidium
Beaches (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) – links to information about beaches, planning a trip to the beach, and about beach protection
Center for Watershed Protection – nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation that provides technical tools for protecting some of the nation’s most precious natural resources: our streams, lakes, and rivers
Nonhygienic Behavior, Knowledge, and Attitudes Among Interactive Splash Park Visitors [PDF - 417 KB] (Journal of Environmental Health) – study of nonhygienic behavior among children at Idaho splash parks and the influences of signage and hygiene attendants
Ocular and Respiratory Symptoms Among Lifeguards at a Hotel Indoor Waterpark Resort (Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine) – describes results of a study to determine the cause of eye and respiratory irritation symptoms among lifeguards at an indoor waterpark
Preventing Recreational Water Illness Outbreaks (National Swimming Pool Foundation) – article about a 2005 outbreak at a park linked to more than 3,000 illnesses and spread to 36 New York counties, 26 states, and two countries
Prevention and Control of Recreational Water Illnesses [PDF - 85 KB] (Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Position Paper) – position paper to CDC concerning the prevention and control of recreational water illnesses
Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (Consumer Product Safety Commission [CPSC]) – June 2008 guidance on technical requirements of new swimming pool and spa drain cover performance
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