DON'T SWALLOW THE POOL WATER

Swimmers beware: A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 58 percent of community pools contain E. coli, a bacterium present in feces that can cause serious gastrointestinal problems. (click below to read more)

Most of the germs apparently come from fecal matter present on people’s bodies, Michele Hlavsa, chief of the CDC’s Healthy Swimming Program, tells NBCNews.com. “The average person has about 0.14 grams of feces on their rear end,” Hlavsa says. Of the 161 pools in Atlanta that CDC researchers tested, one also contained cryptosporidium, an organism that causes diarrhea, and two had giardia, a parasite that can cause stomach pains and nausea. “Remember, chlorine and other disinfectants don’t kill germs instantly,” Hlavsa says. To reduce the risk of infection with fecal bacteria, experts recommend that you rinse off with soap before and after diving in—and avoid swallowing any water.