If you’re the type of person who sees a huge swimming pool where others see a flooded road—and who likes to go for a refreshing dip when the roads of Metro Manila are once again impassable—then we have some bad news for you.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has just banned residents of the capital from swimming in floodwaters for fun.

All jokes aside, the ban is primarily aimed at children and does make sense in a way, even if it will be hard-to-impossible to enforce (just like many of the other rules in this megalopolis). MMDA Regulation 24-003 states that “children and adults are prohibited from swimming, playing, gallivanting and/or unnecessarily wading or doing any other leisurely activities in floodwaters.”

Agency boss Romando Artes was quick to point out that the regulations differentiate between swimming in floodwaters for recreation and having no other choice but to do so for the purpose of evacuating from an area or getting to work or school.

The punishments for contravention of this new rule can be set by the 17 local government units, with one mayor (San Juan City’s Francis Zamora) declaring that doing so on his turf will bring fines of up to P2,000, depending on the frequency of the offense.

Next to the ban and the accompanying penalties, the MMDA will also start an information drive that highlights the dangers of swimming in floodwaters.

Doing so might seem like harmless fun, especially to kids in affected areas, but it’s actually very dangerous for many reasons. Floodwater often contains everything from sharp objects and debris to human waste and deceased animals. Exposure to these not only leads to serious injuries, but also causes wound infections, skin rashes, gastrointestinal illness, tetanus, and even leptospirosis.

The MMDA and the Department of Health also called on local government units and the public to practice proper waste disposal that prevents drains from being blocked and rodents from thriving.

According to the DOH, urine from infected rodents is a top source of leptospirosis, a disease that is caused by bacteria. Its symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, or diarrhea. In severe cases, it can lead to kidney or liver failure, or inflammation around the brain and the spinal cord (meningitis).