Swimming pond safety

Listen to this radio show (MP3 download) or read below.

Radio interview source: Mick Hilleary, owner, Total Habitat

The pond on our acreage is beautiful. It's spring-fed, deep, and we've never had problems with algae. You'd think it was the perfect swimming hole, but we don't go in it because there are so many snapping turtles!

There are many reasons some ponds are not suitable for taking a dip. If the water is cloudy or smells bad, it might be contaminated by things such as fertilizers and animal waste. The bottom of the pond could have deep sink holes that unsuspecting swimmers could fall into. Rocks just below the surface or tree debris jutting up out of the water are dangerous as well. If you have these problems and can't fix them, you may have to post a "No Swimming" sign.

Mick Hilleary builds ponds, and says a safe pond is deep in the middle and shallow around the edges. That way, if you're not a confident swimmer, you can stay to the sides. Before jumping in, look for obvious and safe ways for everyone to get into the water.

"If we have the space to do a long, slowly sloping beach into the water, that's a great way to give little people access as well as big people," Hilleary says. "If necessary, we can put up a buoy line."