Fantastic swimming fun in MV: Only seven lakes with warning!

Fantastic swimming fun in MV: Only seven lakes with warning!

The bathing water quality in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is also mostly very good this summer. This is confirmed by current data from the State Office for Health and Social Affairs (LAGuS). Many bathing areas enjoy the rating of “Excellent” or “Good”, which fuels the anticipation of refreshing bathing experiences in the local waters. However, there are also warnings: the water quality at seven of around 500 bathing areas was classified as questionable, mainly because of detected cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae.

However, most lakes offer safe swimming. The bathing areas on Lake Schwerin are particularly popular, where the beaches in Zippendorf and Reppin, among others, impress with their excellent quality. Other excellent bathing spots can be found at Ostorfer See and Plauer See, where numerous areas are also rated "excellent", such as at Ferienpark Heidenholz and at Cp Zuruf. There are also many other lakes on this list of exemplary bathing spots, such as Lake Lankower and Lake Dobbertiner, which are praised for their high water quality ndr.de.

However, given the cyanobacteria detected, special precautions are required. The bathing areas at risk include Lake Cantnitz near Möllenbeck and several lakes in the Rostock district such as Lake Garder and Lake Kuhlen. These algae can appear in large numbers in long-term heat and may produce toxic substances that pose health risks to humans and animals government-mv.de.

What does this mean for bathers? Before diving in, swimmers should always find out about the current water quality, for example on the swimming water map. This is updated regularly and authorities check water quality every four weeks between May and September. Important parameters are the pH value, the presence of coli bacteria and the visibility depth of the water, which can be influenced by the cyanobacteria Umweltbundesamt.de.

As far as water quality trends are concerned, current studies show no clear trends in cyanobacteria contamination. Nevertheless, extreme weather conditions, such as those exacerbated by climate change, can affect water temperatures and therefore the growth conditions for these algae. Particularly in hot summers, increased algae blooms are to be feared, which can then produce substances that are potentially harmful to health. Bathers are therefore well advised to find out about the water quality and to stop swimming if they notice anything unusual, such as cloudy water or an unusual smell.

Overall, this means: Swimming in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is largely harmless - if you do a little bit of research and pay attention to the warnings, nothing will stand in the way of a relaxing day by the water!