Bacteria

[MJS]

I am confused! I was reading a thread on this board about River Country. Several posters mentioned that bacteria problems in the water have led to the closing of the park. Also, because of the bacteria, swimming is not allowed in the lakes/lagoons at the MK resorts, as well as the YC/BC, BWI, BWV, etc.

If there is such a bacteria problem, why is fishing allowed? I know that it is catch-and-release, but the guests who fish handle their catch. Also, why is boating allowed?

Thanks!

 

[OnWithTheShow]

Because you are not ingesting the water.

 

[Bugster]

Hmmm...a small child could still ingest water in a boat or on a fishing trip. Toddlers and preschoolers put their hands in their mouths all the time. It would not bother them if they just touched a fish, put their hands in the water at the lagoon (using water to build sandcastles), etc. Also, many of the water mice have water in or on the seats. I agree that it is quite different than swimming in the water, but perhaps there are other reasons that River Country is closing and no swimming is allowed in the lakes/lagoon.

If the lagoon/lake water was dangerous, I do not think that WDW would risk liability by letting visitors anywhere near it.

 

[Captain Crook]

All fresh water in florida is 'dangerous' in the hot summer months. Bacteria thrives in the 90 degree water which is why ear infection & such is so prevelent. The bacteria levels come & go with water temps & the primary body intake location for the bacterial problem is the ear, therefore casual contact is not a problem but submurging your head could be...

 

[OnWithTheShow]

Well I am not 100% positive that this is true ar River Country, I AM 100% positive this is why swimming is not allowed at the resorts. During the water tests on several occassions for example, Grand Floridian would fail and Poly would pass. The failing resort would then have to wait 90 days to have the water retested. During that time guests would say "how come they can swim at that resort and we cant swim here?". Because of this and the frequency at which these failures occured they determined it would be better to not allow swimming at all. Swimming and touching some water and then putting your hands in your mouth are two very different things.

 

[meowthew2]

Methinks RC's closing is just a simple financial matter. The RC/Bay Lake bacteria problem has always been there -- a boy from New York even died as a direct result of it in August 1980 -- and yet it remained open twenty years more.

 

[suzanneb]

are there bacteria, but also there is a NASTY parasite in a number of "natural" (untreated) WARM "still" FL lakes, e.g. virtually all of the ones at WDW...it can enter thru your nose, and cause a sometimes fatal encephalitis...thus no swimming in those lakes (like at Y&B Club, Poly, Grand, etc)

 

[Snowgod]

Up here in the great north woods, we have this problem that affects ponds and lakes in the summer heat. It is a bacteria that is spread by ducks and geese. Causes a rash or worse. Could this be related due to the large number of water fowl at WDW?