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Freeman [soylentnews.org] writes:

https://arstechnica.com/health/2023/06/its-summer-and-that-means-disturbing-swim-advisories-heres-our-top-5/ [arstechnica.com]

It's summer, and that means health organizations will be periodically showering Americans with reminders of how public swimming venues are actually nightmarish cesspits teeming with microbes that can burn your eyes, ravage your intestines, and eat your brains [arstechnica.com].

In attempts to communicate some pretty basic health advice—like, don't pee or poop in a public pool and try to avoid gulping toxic algae from lakes—health organizations create a mesmerizing fountain of hilarious, graphic, disturbing, clumsy, and sometimes perplexing advisories.

Given this wellspring of vomitus summer fun, here are our picks for the top five public health advisories bobbing in the waters this summer.
[...]
3. The dipstick test

If swimming pools suddenly seem too confining and ill-equipped to handle the loaded loads we're plunging, maybe a swim in a nice, big, natural lake sounds nice this summer? Think again.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services wants to ensure you don't swim in any toxin-toting blooms of blue-green algae. In helpful, picture-based tips, the department advises against swimming in water that looks like green pea soup or green latex paint—in case any of those options seemed enticing. Dead fish and "floating scum, globs, or mats" are also (apparently not obvious) signs to stay away.

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