Swimming with Ducks May Be Hazardous to Your Health

People aren’t the only ones who like to take a nice dip in a swimming pool -- ducks often gravitate toward the warm water, which is not always healthy for humans.

For example, the pool at Ocean Ranch in Bear Brand was recently closed due to duck droppings found in and around the pool. In 2011, there were 10 pool closures in Laguna Niguel due to possible feces contamination, according to officials at the Orange County Health Care Agency.

“I do want to point out that simply the presence of duck droppings in a pool area or in the pool is not the trigger for closure; No free chlorine residual is the main concern since it is the primary disinfectant.  Adequate levels (1.0 ppm or about 10 times the amount found in tap water) prevent harmful bacteria such as e. Coli and salmonella that can be primarily found in any fecal contamination," said Mike Haller,  program manager, Food Protection Program, Environmental Health Division Orange County Health Care Agency.

On the day an inspector visited the Ocean Ranch pool, Haller said there was no free chlorine residual and there were ducks, and duck droppings in the pool and on the pool decking.    

Haller said 669 pools were closed in the county in 2011. However, pool closures are not coded to the exact reason for closure, only that there was a possible health hazard that necessitated the closure. 

“Based upon our total number of inspections performed in 2011, the closure rate is relatively low for all pools for any and all reasons (4.5 percent).  I can tell you anecdotally that more closures of pools in Orange County are attributed to pool fencing and gate issues (not closing properly or in disrepair), our No. 1barrier for preventing accidental drowning of children,” he said.

Why They Like Pools

Ducks enjoy taking a swim in area pools because as they transistion back north at this time of year, they're looking for bodies of water to nest, Haller said.

Pools, especially fenced pools, provide not only an adequate body of water but a “safe” environment for the ducks. 

The danger to the ducks; however, is the chlorine residual that ironically safeguards our health. 

"Ducks will drink large amounts of water from the pool with chlorine residual that will irreparably damage their kidneys," he said.  

Do Not Feed

In the United States, most birds, including ducks and geese, are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and state laws. Local laws might also apply. Therefore, legal options for dealing with birds are limited and may require a permit. Consult the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and your state wildlife agency for more information.

"As long as people do not feed the ducks, which, by the way, Fish and Game does not allow, and the pool is maintained with good chlorine chemistry and general maintenance to remove duck droppings/clean pool decking, daily pools will be safe to use," he said. "Our inspectors will only have to close a pool when there are large amounts of duck droppings in a pool and on the decking surfaces and there is no free chlorine residual."

The pool at Ocean Ranch was recently reopened and the chlorine levels are good, but there were still issues with duck droppings.

"The maintenance needs to just keep up on a daily basis until the ducks eventually move on," Haller said.

What to Do if You Have Ducks:

The CDC suggests the following steps if you do see bird droppings in or around your swimming pool:

Pool operators and owners should respond to finding bird droppings in the pool the same way they would respond to finding human feces in the pool. The Healthy Swimming Program’s Fecal Incident Response Recommendations [PDF - 644 kb] provide step-by-step guidance on how to properly decontaminate the water in these situations.

Follow these steps to remove bird droppings and disinfect the water:

• Close the pool to swimmers.
• Put on disposable gloves.
• Remove the bird droppings using a net or bucket. Do not vacuum the droppings from the pool.
• Clean off any debris or dirt from the item used to remove the bird droppings.
• Disinfect the item used to remove the droppings by immersing it in the pool during the 30-minute disinfection time described below.
• Remove and dispose of gloves.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately.
• Raise the free chlorine concentration to, or maintain it at, 2 parts per million (ppm); maintain the pH level at 7.5 or less; keep the temperature at 77°F (25°C) or higher. The free chlorine and pH should remain at these levels for 30 minutes.
• Confirm that the filtration system is operating properly.

(Source: CDC.gov)