Here’s why you can’t swim in city lakes like City Park, Wash Park

DENVER ( KDVR ) — Even though there are plenty of lakes in Denver’s parks, cooling off in a body of water in the Mile High City isn’t as easy as it seems, and there’s a reason for it.

You’re not allowed to swim in Denver park lakes – and even if you were – you wouldn’t want to swim in them anyway.

Denver bans swimming in park lakes

Denver Parks and Recreation told FOX31 that people can’t swim in park lakes because it’s a safety concern as there are no lifeguards on duty. While this is one concern, it’s also for your health.

Lakes at City Park and Washington Park look like the perfect places to cool off on a summer day, however, the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment doesn’t recommend swimming in any city streams or lakes due to the runoff.

“Denver’s lakes and streams receive runoff from city streets, yards, parks and discharges from industry and wastewater treatment plants. Sometimes pollution in the runoff and discharges, which includes bacteria such as E. coli, can make residents sick,” said a spokesperson for the DDPHE.

The DDPHE recommends public swimming pools as an alternative.

There are other ways to cool off during the summer, it just takes more creativity and a little more time in the car if you live downtown. Waterfall hikes , tubing spots and swimmable lakes are just a short trip away from Denver.

While it may not be as convenient as taking a dip in a city park lake, at least the tubing spots and swimmable lakes aren’t banned for city pollution runoff.

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