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It may be hot out, but reconsider before jumping in one of Pittsburgh’s rivers – the water may contain raw sewage.
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While you’re not guaranteed to be exposed to major health risks if you swim in any of the Three Rivers at any given point, there’s a chance you could be taking a dip with runoff from abandoned mines. The risk for sewage comes when it rains, as even just a small storm can cause an overflow of wastewater into the Pittsburgh’s rivers.
Here’s what to know before deciding if you want to swim in Pittsburgh’s rivers.
How dirty are Pittsburgh’s rivers?
There are hundreds of sewer overflow points throughout the Allegheny, the Monongahela and the Ohio rivers, Daniel Bain, associate professor of geology and environmental science at University of Pittsburgh. writes in a column for The Conversation. Rainfall – as little as a tenth of an inch, according to the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority, or ALCOSAN – can cause an overflow of stormwater and raw sewage to flow into the rivers.
In addition to the sewage issue, material from abandoned coal mines and leftover waste permeates the water. There isn’t much known about how these materials might impact swimmers.
Are Pittsburgh’s rivers safe for swimming?
It’s unsafe to swim in Pittsburgh’s rivers in the area serviced by ALCOSAN for at least 48 hours after a storm because there could be raw sewage in the water, Bain said.
Bodies of water are designated as “swimmable” primarily by the Environmental Protection Agency and Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection. These agencies examine the water in comparison to contamination thresholds to determine if the area is swimmable. Below the threshold, the waters are considered safe, while above it, entering the water poses a health risk to people.
Is it safe to eat fish from Pittsburgh’s rivers?
Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protections regularly releases advisories on how many fish caught in Pittsburgh’s rivers can safely be consumed based on the water’s chemical levels. Check their website before consuming fish caught from the rivers.
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Fish populations increasing in Pittsburgh
Data shows the number of fish in the Three Rivers has increased over the years as state and federal efforts beginning in the 1970s have led to improved water quality.
One study from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission showed there were thousands of fish collected at three points throughout the rivers in 2010, a massive uptick from 1967, when researchers could not find a single fish at one of those points and only found one fish the following year.
Where can I swim in Pittsburgh?
Public pools in Pittsburgh opened for the season on June 15. Here’s where they’re located throughout the city:
- Ammon Recreation Center: 2217 Bedford Avenue
- Banksville Swimming Pool: 1461 Crane Avenue
- Bloomfield Swimming Pool: 408 Ella Street
- Highland Park Swimming Pool: 151 Lake Drive
- Homewood Swimming Pool: 540 North Lang Avenue
- Jack Stack Pool: 600 Brighton Woods Road
- Magee Swimming Pool: 745 Greenfield Avenue
- McBride Park: 1785 McBride Avenue
- Moore Swimming Pool: 1801 Pioneer Avenue
- Ormsby Pool: 79 South 22nd Street
- Phillips Swimming Pool: 201 Parkfield Avenue
- Ream Swimming Pool: 321 Merrimac Street
- Riverview Swimming Pool: 400 Riverview Avenue
- Schenley Swimming Pool: 1 Overlook Drive
- Sue Murray Swimming Pool: 301 Cedar Avenue
- West Penn Community Recreation Center: 450 30th Street
- Westwood Swimming Pool: 100 Guyland Street
Pittsburgh also has an indoor pool at 38 South 10th Street, as well as spray parks and playgrounds with spray features throughout the city.
Check the city’s website for pool hours and details on spray park locations.
Finch Walker is the Pittsburgh Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Walker at [email protected]. Instagram: @finchwalker_. X: @_finchwalker.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can you swim in Pittsburgh’s rivers? Yes, but they might have raw sewage
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Reporting by Finch Walker, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY
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