It seems possible that exposure to bacteria in the water in small doses builds the bodies immune system to deal with those making subsequent problems less likely.
When I was a little boy in New York City in the 1940s, we swam in the Hudson River and it was filled with raw sewage okay? We swam in raw sewage! You know... to cool off! And at that time, the big fear was polio; thousands of kids died from polio every year but you know something? In my neighbourhood, no one ever got polio! No one! Ever! You know why? Cause we swam in raw sewage! It strengthened our immune systems! The polio never had a prayer; we were tempered in raw shit! -- George Carlin
Its crazy. I surf at a spot next to a sewage outflow known to be dirty after rainstorms and have never gotten sick, even though I definitely swallow tons of water from there. There are probably other negative effects I dont realize are happening to my body though im sure.
