Recreational Water

Recreational water is the water we fish, boat, play, swim or wade in.  There are two types of recreational waters, treated and untreated. Accidental ingestion of both types of recreational water can lead to illness from exposure to pathogen or chemical contaminants. Treated recreational waters are those that undergo some type of water filtration and disinfection; such as in swimming pools, hot tubs, amusement or water parks, splash pads and interactive fountains. Untreated recreational waters include springs, streams, ponds, lakes, rivers, or oceans. These water bodies naturally contain bacteria, viruses and parasites from the environment.

Tennessee depends on water! You can take action to protect water in your community today. Read the full TNH20 Report and check out the StoryMap below by the Tennessee Nature Conservancy and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.