people shitting in the water

The alert of each year returns to the Spanish pools: a viral challenge that simply consists of defecating in the water, a heavy joke for the bathers who, however, has consequences that go beyond the eviction of the area. Since news is detected on the subject In the late last decadehundreds of pools are affected every year.

National plague. This year, the challenge has affected more than 300 swimming pools throughout Spain. According to Eltiempo.esmunicipalities such as Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, Bellver de Cerdanya and Berga, have been affected in Catalonia; Orduña and Sopela, in Euskadi; Canals and Carcaixent, in the Valencian Community; and Torrelavega, Los Corrales de Buelna or Reocín, in Cantabria. They are also events that are repeated several times in the same pools, becoming more than half a dozen times in some of these facilities.

No trace of the challenge. Although the phenomenon is being described in the media as a “viral challenge”, this is not exactly. Viral challenges are often born With promotional intentions either designed by a influencer. However, here it is difficult to find network users following the challenge (that is, defining in the swimming pools): there are only reactions infinite to the discovery of hece. It is rather a phenomenon of infection that is born with A concrete video of 2023 widespread Del Tiktoker @iigormoral and, which was used to illustrate summer news On television and In press About the appearance of feces in swimming pools (a vandalism phenomenon that happens, to a lesser extent, all summers).

Because of its appearance in the highest reach, the @iigormoral video (and not a “challenge” as such) generated a “effect called” that is being confused with a challenge as such, and that many are using as a justification to vandalize the facilities.

There is punishment. There is no legislation that specifically defecates in the pools, but administrative sanctions can be applied or taking deterrent measures, based on the Crimes typified against public health. There may be fines (up to 600,000 euros in serious cases of recidivism) and, of course, expulsion of the facilities, a measure that can be extended several years. In some of the mentioned municipalities, recordings made with sigurity cameras are being reviewed to determine the authorship of the fault.

Health risks. Although the excrement in the pools may seem an anecdotal issue, its presence involves health risks. The association of Disease control centers of the United States warn that some of the pathogenic bacteria present in the feces (those of the genus Cryptosporidium, for example, but also the Escherichia coli, the hepatitis A virus or the giardia parasite) survive in pool water for days. Even if the excrement are extracted and chlorin and try again, the slightest dissolution in water (as it happens if the person has a slight diarrhea) is dangerous.

International scope. Although what affects us are floating droppings in our pools, the viral challenge seems to have international scope, and there are already social network users warning of sightings In the Park Pool Park in New Yorkin Mother jungle (Bolivia) or Türkiye. International deposits also seems trend, to the point that last year, with intentions very different from those of a viral joke, it was proposed “shit“As a way of protesting the Paris Olympic Games.

Header | Photo of Andrii Leonov in Unspash

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