Heidelberg (dpa/lsw) - Anyone looking to cool off in rivers in the heat may be making a mistake: authorities advise against swimming in the Neckar and in the Alb and warn of health risks. "Pathogens can lead to diarrhea or eye and ear infections, among other things," said the Rhein-Neckar district health department on Tuesday. At low water, the Neckar consists of up to 37 percent sewage water. "As a result, pathogens such as faecal germs, salmonella, viruses, parasites or fungi can have a harmful effect on the water quality."
The city administration of Karlsruhe advises against cooling off in the Alb. The persistent drought and high temperatures worsened the water quality. The Alb is not an official bathing water. Their water quality is therefore not checked regularly.
