Water conditions at Echo Dale could cause swimmer's itch

Hatters with an itch to swim at Echo Dale Regional Park may want to look elsewhere to scratch it.

The city announced Wednesday that parks and recreation staff had found the presence of aquatic life that can produce swimmer’s itch in the Echo Dale swim lake and boat lake.

They say staff are working to further treat the water in the swim lake to reduce the presence of the organisms. There are signs posted on site and residents can still enter the water.

Swimmer’s itch is a rash people may get from shallow, warm water, and it can appear in outdoor bodies of water with the presence of warmer weather. The rash isn’t dangerous or contagious, the city says, just itchy.

Those who contract swimmer’s itch see it typically disappear within a week and can treat it by putting cool, wet cloths on th