Risk of Covid-19 in Recreational Water is Low

The risk of contracting Covid-19 from both wastewater and recreational water is low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Studies conducted in multiple countries in recent months have detected the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in treated and untreated wastewater, but to this date there has been no evidence of a person contracting the virus through wastewater or swimming areas.

Wastewater that has been treated for contaminants and then returned to the environment has the least risk. A study conducted in France discovered a decreased level of the virus after the water had been properly treated. Earlier studies dealing with coronaviruses, to which SARS-CoV-2 is similar, have also noted a loss in potency after the virus moves through a proper treatment system.

More research must be done to better understand the relationship, but according to the Water Environment Federation and the World Health Organization, wastewater filtered for recycled use should mostly eliminate the virus before being discharged to rivers, lakes, and oceans. Even if any active viruses make their way to recreational water, they would not survive very long at all.