Rijkswaterstaat checks water quality during the swimming season at official swimming locations in Dutch nature. But how do you know if you can swim safely in water that is not under control? From 240 swimming locations, both inland and along the coast in the Netherlands, we know through biweekly checks by Rijkswaterstaat whether or not the water is safe there. The results of these tests can be viewed on a map at zwemwaternl , Study the water surface, if there is a paint-like green or brown layer on the surface, swimming is a bad idea Such a layer is caused by an accumulation of bacteria and/or algae. “If that layer stays long enough and cracks out a bluish glow comes into the water, you can be sure it's blue algae.”

Sometimes on the water there is duckweed, blossom or non-dangerous wire algae. The difference with, for example, blue algae is not always clear. Before that, an app was developed in the United Kingdom by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology : the Bloomin' Algae app, which now also has a Dutch version. “Swimmers can upload photos of the water or the layer on the water. Experts from Wageningen University and Research then assess the photo and indicate as well and quickly as possible whether they see reason not to swim there”

Download the Bloomin' Algae app for free on Google Play and the App store (app from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology). You choose 'Dutch' in the app.


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