Is It Safe to Swim Here?
Your taxpayer dollars have helped the Environmental Protection Agency create a database that describes which waters are safe for swimmers. Unfortunately, it's not the easiest thing to use. First, click on your state and scroll down to find a table of watersheds. The named watersheds don't always correspond to familiar bodies of water, so you might have to click around to find the one that covers a stream or stretch of river you're interested in.
Once you've found the relevant body of water (which might be described as "good" or "impaired"), click on the name to access a more detailed table. Make sure that "primary contact" is "supported"; primary contact refers to swimming, secondary contact to boating. Rivers that are fully supported are highlighted in green in the database, while those that are not appear in red.
Even if the data looks encouraging, it's a good idea to check with local environmental authorities before swimming, since parts of the EPA database are out of date, and local conditions can vary. Be aware, for example, that water quality often declines after a rain storm.
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