Lake County Health Department urges residents to swim safely

WAUKEGAN – Memorial Day marked the unofficial start of summer. If you are swimming at your local pool or enjoying time at your favorite beach, it is important to protect yourself from illness, prevent the spread of gems and practice safe swimming.

Recreational water illnesses can spread if you swallow, have contact with, or breathe in mists or aerosols from water contaminated with germs. You also can get them by having contact with chemicals that are in the water or that evaporate from the water and turn into gas in the air. Diarrhea is the most common illness.

The Lake County Health Department monitors lake water for E. coli bacteria in more than 100 Lake Michigan and inland lake beaches to ensure the water is acceptable for swimming. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, beach closure information can be found on the health department’s Beach Monitoring and Advisories webpage, which is updated daily by 10 a.m.

When bacteria levels are high, the Lake County Health Department notifies the beach’s manager and signs are posted indicating a swim ban is in place. Water samples are taken daily until the bacteria levels fall below the standard.

“We keep our community protected and prevent waterborne illnesses by testing the water,” said Alana Bartolai, ecological services program coordinator. “We recommend checking our beach advisories page before heading out to the beach to ensure you can do so safely.”

Here are ways to protect yourself from illness at pools and water parks:

• Don’t swim or let your children swim when sick with diarrhea.

• Don’t swallow the water.

• Take children on bathroom breaks every 60 minutes.

• Check diapers every 30 to 60 minutes and change them in a bathroom or diaper-changing area – not waterside – to keep germs away from the water.

• Shower before you enter the water.

Follow these tips to avoid hazards when swimming in lakes this summer:

• Before heading to your favorite lake, check if the beach is open on the Lake County Health Department website. If a swim ban is in place, do not swim in the lake.

• Avoid swimming in lakes after a large rain event because rainfall can wash pollutants into lakes resulting in elevated bacteria levels.

• In Lake Michigan, don’t swim during times of heavy surf (i.e., high waves), which can overpower even the strongest swimmer. Know before you go and check the National Weather Service for any beach hazard advisories.

• On inland lakes, occasional harmful algae blooms may occur. Avoid areas where the water has a green or blue-green appearance. Report any algae blooms to the health department.

Throughout the summer, the Lake County Health Department samples 11 beaches along Lake Michigan four days a week. The beaches are North Point Marina Beach in Winthrop Harbor; Illinois Beach State Park North Beach, Illinois Beach State Park South Beach and Illinois Beach State Park Resort Beach in Zion; Waukegan North Beach and Waukegan South Beach in Waukegan; Foss Park Beach in North Chicago; Lake Bluff Sunrise Beach in Lake Bluff; Forest Park Beach in Lake Forest; and Park Avenue Beach and Rosewood Beach in Highland Park.

The Lake County Health Department samples Lake Bluff Dog Beach and Moraine Dog Beach once a week.

For information on beach monitoring, call the Lake County Health Department’s Environmental Services at 847-377-8020.