Health impacts of recreational water and bathing beach quality : report on a WHO Expert Consultation, Bad Elster, Germany, 20-22 June 1996

Abstract

All over the world resident and tourist populations extensively use waters for recreational purposes. Research has indicated that this affects health, and WHO is often requested to provide guidance in this area. Fifteen experts met at a WHO consultation in Bad Elster, Germany, at the Research Department of the Institute for Water, Soil and Air Hygiene (‎a WHO collaborating centre)‎ to discuss the development of WHO guidelines for safe recreational water environments. The participants made a series of detailed recommendations on the structure and content of the guidelines and needs for future research. They urged that priority be given to the development of the guidelines. Following the consultation, immediate action was to be taken to complete the guidelines on health hazards from the recreational use of marine and freshwater environments and to plan the finalization of other guidelines