Safety warnings have gone out for 280 official wild swimming locations where poor water quality may pose a risk to health.
According to an analysis by ANP based on data from Zwemwater.nl quoted by the Telegraaf, 280 locations have been found to be unsafe for swimming at least once this year, double the figure for last year.
Rising temperatures have been blamed for the trend. In June, swimmers were warned about 40 wild swimming locations in Dutch waters because of blue algae. That has now gone up to 142 because of prolonged periods of heat. Two sites are out of bounds altogether.
Blue algae, a bacterium which can cause nausea, diarrhoea and rashes, feeds on nitrogen, carbon dioxide and sunshine, all of which are in plentiful supply in the Netherlands.
Experts said that swimmers must use their common sense and avoid taking the plunge if the water has a blue, green, brown or red oily layer.
Some 800 locations were still found to be safe. Swimmers can get the latest information on water quality on monitoring website zwemwater.nl and can turn for advice to the water boards’ Zwemwaterapp.
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