beaches in the U.S - 0 views
-
Pollution at the nation’s 3,500 ocean, lake and bay beaches resulted in more than 25,000 closing or swimming advisory days last year, 28 percent more than in 2005, and the highest number in the 17 years that records have been kept, according to a new federal report released Tuesday.
- ...11 more annotations...
-
“Exposure to bacteria, viruses and parasites in contaminated beach water can cause a wide range of diseases, including ear, nose and eye infections; gastroenteritis; hepatitis; encephalitis; skin rashes; and respiratory illnesses,”
-
Most at risk are small children, pregnant women, cancer patients and others whose immune systems are weak or compromised.
-
“Children under the age of 9 had more reports of diarrhea and vomiting from exposure to waterborne parasites than any other age group,”
-
“found that more than 10 percent of swimmers report contracting gastroenteritis or respiratory infections after swimming. Based on those results and beach attendance numbers, nearly 300 people could expect to contract a respiratory illness after swimming in Lake Michigan in Chicago on a summer weekend.
-
“The study found skin rash and diarrhea to be consistently significantly elevated in swimmers compared to non-swimmers.
-
an estimated 27 cases per 1,000 among children with any water contact, 32 cases among those with facial contact with the water, and 59 cases among those who swallowed water,
-
“Aging and poorly-designed sewage and storm water systems hold much of the blame for beach water pollution. The problem was compounded by record rainfall, which added to the strain on already overloaded infrastructure.