Bathing season ends: Rules for continued safe water fun

The bathing season is officially over. But even now, a dip in the cool water still offers the much longed-for cooling. The district offers a few tips for safe bathing.

12 August 2022
Children sit on a jetty and point their feet in the water

Lakes Eder, Diemel and Twistesee invite you to cool off in these warm temperatures. The official bathing lake season has been over since 11 August - but the weather is still summery, so many people are still drawn to the lakes these days. The district's health service has some tips for safe bathing.

To ensure safe bathing in summer, the district's health service checks the water quality of the lakes in Waldeck-Frankenberg at regular intervals during the bathing season. Visible depth, temperature and the pH value of the water at the bathing spot are measured. The values provide information on whether the body of water may be prone to increased algae formation. For example, some blue-green algae can form toxins that cause illness in humans and animals if ingested.

But even now - outside the official bathing season - a dip in the cool water still offers the much longed-for cooling. However, especially after the end of the season, green algae carpets form on the lakes. "Our inspectors have already been able to observe a small amount of algae on the bathing lakes. In the coming days and weeks, however, the algae will increase - this is a normal natural process in late summer," reports the head of the Health Department, Thomas Hetche. "Bathers should take care to come into contact with it as little as possible." As a general rule, it is important - both during and outside the bathing season - to swallow as little water as possible and to shower thoroughly after a visit to the bathing lake. As a matter of principle, a doctor should be consulted in case of symptoms such as diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, fever or allergic reactions.

Within the bathing season, the district checks the waters closely. "Even though the law no longer obliges us to do so outside the season, we continue to keep an eye on the waters - especially now with the beautiful late summer weather," Thomas Hetche continues. Swimming in the lakes is still possible after the bathing season. "But you should also keep your eyes open for possible dangers.