From Aquatics International:
One of the newest trends in recreational water is the opening of surf parks. With the first in the US opening in 2016, it seems that more artificial surfing lagoons are popping up everyday. A dozen new facilities are already planned around the world in the next few years. As these venues increase in popularity, we would expect an increased exposure to recreational water illnesses (RWIs) at these facilities.
A recent fatality bore out this concern.
While some argue that surf parks do not require the kind of sanitization methods used on other aquatic bodies, I believe it is crucial.
Fatal threat
One area of concern specific to these venues is the threat of being exposed to Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba that causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) when it enters a person’s nasal cavity. Known as the brain-eating amoeba, it thrives in warm, fresh water. The CDC recorded 145 infections from 1962 to 2018. Almost all were fatal, with only four survivors. Most are found in southern states where the water temperature is naturally higher, with about half of reported cases coming from Florida and Texas.
