Raccoons have been in my pool. Should I be concerned?

YES. Raccoons are pests and can spread germs to humans. It is important to keep raccoons out of your pool and watch for raccoon feces (poop) in and around your pool.

raccoon 1Raccoons visit pools to wash, then eat their food or just to go for a swim. While raccoons are eating or swimming in the pool, they are swallowing salt water which causes them to defecate (poop) in the pool.

Raccoon feces can sometimes contain the eggs of a roundworm parasite called Baylisascaris procyonis, which can infect humans, particularly children, and cause severe neurologic illness. People can be exposed to the Baylisascaris eggs by swallowing them in pool water contaminated by raccoon visits.

In addition to possible illness, raccoon feces can cause damage to your filtration system which may be costly to repair.

For further information on raccoons in your pool, Baylisascaris, or other articles relating to healthy pool water, visit www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/.