I did imaz the for the first time today, up until now I’ve been spoilt by the pacific. Has anyone gotten sick from drinking the sludge they call tempe town lake? It was disgusting. I suspect people probably have gotten sick for it but blamed it on some new resturant they’ve never visited before…
I actually thought it wasn’t as bad as billed. No question, oceans are much better. Always nice when you can see the bottom, or at least your hand. But I have swam in worse: Lake Las Vegas (former 70.3 worlds) and Hudson (NYC).
It’s just dirt and dirt don’t hurt. Seriously, Tempe Town Lake is full of silt making it very murky but there is no reason to think the ocean, especially off the So Cal coast, is cleaner or safer to swim in.
I suggest not signing up for IMTX.
I’ve raced IMAZ twice (2006 & 2007)…I have been racing triathlons since 1991 and have only been sick the day after a race twice in all that time; yup, both were at IMAZ. Maybe it was from something else other than the lake, but I’ve visited the area dozens of times and have never been sick from any local restaurants. Here is an article from the local paper; granted it’s not a current article, but just a little food for thought:
Reclaimed water planned for Tempe Town Lake
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Garin Groff**, Tribune**
The idea of water in the desert is always appealing, but the murky stuff in Tempe Town Lake has never looked very alluring.
Yet now the city is planning to fill the man-made lake with something that sounds even less appealing — water from a sewage treatment plant.
City officials acknowledge the ick factor of the idea, but they say reclaimed water would actually be cleaner than what goes in now.
“Some people get a funny look on their face when you mention it, but I don’t have any comments from people who said out and out this is something they wouldn’t accept,” said Basil Boyd, a Tempe water resources hydrologist.
The city allows swimming at the lake only for special events, such as triathlons. Water quality is already a problem because high algae levels have pushed pH levels above federal standards at times.
John Hyte of Mesa said he’s competed in many events at the lake and gotten coldlike symptoms for a couple of days after each swim. Other triathletes have shared similar stories, he said.
“It’s common knowledge to expect to be sick after,” Hyte said.
The treated water is cleaner in every way, Boyd said. It’s clear, nearly meets standards for drinking water, has a low pH and doesn’t have any algae. An ultraviolet filter at the plant disinfects the water.
The only problem is a high level of phosphorous, which is a nutrient for algae. The city can control algae with chemicals, so city officials said that shouldn’t be a problem.
Because the lake would still meet safety standards, the biggest hurdle would likely be public perception, said Don Hawkes, Tempe’s water utilities manager.
“That’s something that we’ll need to educate people about,” Hawkes said.
It could take two years to put treated water in the lake. The city needs to install a $10.7 million, 5-mile pipeline from the plant to the lake. It also needs state environmental officials to sign off.
The city is pursuing the idea because of water conservation. The lake is now filled with groundwater or Colorado River water via the Central Arizona Project. Those sources can be used for drinking water. The treated water nearly meets drinking water standards but can’t be used for that, so switching sources would free up water for drinking.
The lake loses about 1.5 million gallons a day to evaporation. The city has enough surplus treated water to supply 60 percent to 80 percent of that, Boyd said.
The city’s water is now pumped into the Salt River and evaporates or seeps into aquifers. Some also goes to a golf course and a power plant.
Hyte has tested the pH himself and said he wants Tempe to ensure the water doesn’t get any worse.
“I don’t know what else they should do, but I think they should do everything they can,” Hyte said. “It’s a public safety thing, especially if they’re banking on swimming in it and to do events.”
People don’t refuse to swim in the lake despite its appearance, said Jeff Banas, head of the Arizona Triathlon Club. He suspects athletes would swim in the lake even if the reclaimed water were in it.
“I don’t think it would keep anybody from doing the event,” Banas said.
Then stay swimming in the ocean if it is so much cleaner. Amazes me people will read threads about the silt and murky water in Tempe for months leading up to the race and then come to post about it… newsflash everyone knows TTL is murky dont sign up for the race if you dont want to swim in it.
Who has the water quality report? Does the race director order one before the race? What pathogens do they test for? This is a very loose area, and if you want to know how loose it has been in the past read “Tom’s River” by Dan Fagin. At least you didn’t swim in the Passaic River. Local and state water regulatory agencies are toothless for the most part. States are looking for jobs, not water quality…
-Robert
+1 Not having done AZ, TX swim was nasty indeed; especially the canal finish.
I’ve raced IMAZ twice (2006 & 2007)…I have been racing triathlons since 1991 and have only been sick the day after a race twice in all that time; yup, both were at IMAZ.
Huh. I’ve raced TTL events 10+ times now and have yet to get sick, even when I got run over and sucked a bunch down both pipes.
John
What you see is just silt… maybe spores from seaweed if there is seaweed. The dangerous stuff you can’t see. Chemicals and bacteria. Put there by us. So yes a water quality report is needed. I’d love to see one posted next year. In about 2 hours 47 minutes I’ll know if I’m racing next year.
Thousands of people repeatedly peeing in the lake (including all aquatic life and runoff) and for some reason you expect the water to be consistently potable?
Any idea which IM’s would have the best water for swimming (non-ocean swims) . Whistler, CDA, Tremblant, LP?
I’m sure TTL is no worse than any other body of water that I’ve raced in (Louisville, Chattanooga, hell I even raced in that sewage-release IMNYC) it could be a simple case of me being sensitive to something specific in the lake…my sister raced one of those years as well and she had no problems at all. All in all, I love the IMAZ course and would love to race it again, but I just can’t get past my personal experience…
Any idea which IM’s would have the best water for swimming (non-ocean swims) . Whistler, CDA, Tremblant, LP?
Non-ocean? My only experience with non-ocean IM swims is CdA, and the water was crystal clear and beautiful. I’d highly recommend it. (a bit chilly though!)
I did imaz the for the first time today, up until now I’ve been spoilt by the pacific. Has anyone gotten sick from drinking the sludge they call tempe town lake? It was disgusting. I suspect people probably have gotten sick for it but blamed it on some new resturant they’ve never visited before…
Quit being a pussy
Any idea which IM’s would have the best water for swimming (non-ocean swims) . Whistler, CDA, Tremblant, LP?
The best is Ironman Austria. The water is certified drinkable straight out of the lake.
Any idea which IM’s would have the best water for swimming (non-ocean swims) . Whistler, CDA, Tremblant, LP?
Tahoe.
Really?
I didn’t think it was that bad. No real taste. No real smell. Some turbidity but no floating dead bodies or visible garbage. I thought the water was pretty ok
Any idea which IM’s would have the best water for swimming (non-ocean swims) . Whistler, CDA, Tremblant, LP?
Tahoe.
New Zealand - Lake Taupo.
I suggest not signing up for IMTX.
Or Louisville! I have done several races in the Ohio River, and it is by far the nastiest water I’ve ever been in. A lot of trash and debris, cant see your hand in front of your face, and it tastes horrible!