Recreational Waterways

Recreational water activities can have benefits for health and wellbeing. Victorian rivers, streams, lakes and beaches provide environments for rest and recreation, physical activity, exercise and fun. However, Victorians are urged to use common sense in their use of these water bodies.

Recreational users of these waterways need to remember that no natural body of water is free of risk from disease-causing organisms or injury.

All waterways contain micro-organisms such as algae, bacteria and parasites. The type and number of organisms will vary from time to time according to what flows into the water.

Agricultural and urban run-off may include chemicals, stormwater, litter, sewage and animal waste. Water contaminated with faecal material may pose a risk of infection to swimmers and those undertaking contact water sports, mainly due to the risk of water being swallowed or inhaled.

Any health effects from exposure to contaminated water in most cases tends to be mild and short-lived. The sorts of conditions that are most likely to occur are gastroenteritis and, less commonly, respiratory, skin, ear and eye infections. (For more information about gastroenteritis, and ear infections, see the Better Health Channel).

Deliberately drinking from untreated water bodies is never recommended. People whose immune systems are compromised should be very careful to avoid swallowing water during recreation.

Swimming near storm water outlets should always be avoided and it is recommended that people wait at least 48 hours after heavy rain stops before swimming in recreational waters.

Some activities where people may be immersed in water, such as swimming, diving, surfing, canoeing and water-skiing may carry increased risk of illness at times when water quality is diminished due to recent heavy rain or other factors.

Simple precautions can reduce any risk further, such as:

• checking weather conditions and warnings about current water conditions
• using appropriate footwear to avoid cutting feet
• covering cuts or abrasions with waterproof dressings before entering the water
• for kayakers, avoiding Eskimo rolls or capsize drills in poor quality water.
• showering after water-based sport
• seeing your doctor if you are injured or become unwell after water-based sport and letting them know about your recent activities.

For information on fishing in Melbourne's waterways, see Mercury in fish - Lake Eildon (south) and the Upper Goulburn River and Should I eat the fish I catch? Advice for people who catch fish in the Lower Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers.

Compared to the large number of people who use urban waterways such as the Yarra, the number of people who are known to have become ill as a result of recreational water use is very small. This small risk needs to be balanced against the many benefits, of both a health and social nature, to be obtained from enjoying our waterways. A common sense approach to water-based activities should ensure that any risks are kept as low as possible.

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