A recently renovated splash pad in a Michigan park became contaminated with sewage water as five or six children played in it last weekend. County officials issued a health alert for anyone who used the park, but it may have been too late.

According to the local newspaper in Traverse City, Mich., officials noticed that the sewage had backed up on the splash pad on Sunday morning. They took action immediately. Officials called Jason Hobson, the installer of the newly renovated park feature, to the scene. Hobson noticed that the water was cloudy, tinted, and contained floating debris.

"My first thought was vandalism because there was no smell," he said. "That's because it went into 2,000 gallons of chlorinated water."

But the water's chlorination was not enough to stop officials from issuing a health alert. The presence of contaminants in water can lead to several different health problems, especially if the water is ingested, which it often is at a child's amusement. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ingesting contaminated water can cause gastrointestinal issues, reproductive problems, and even neurological disorders. Children, the elderly, and pregnant women are among those at highest risk for serious health problems related to water contamination.

The sewer backup in Michigan was discovered by a city employee who saw sewage bubbling over a manhole cover on Sunday morning. The pump's failure alarm, which is supposed to alert officials, was knocked out by a tripped circuit breaker at the pump station and never went off. Reports don't specify how long the sewer water was seeping into the splash pad before someone noticed.

"Hindsight being what it is, all I want to say now is we are looking to rectify that issue and get that water fixture back up as soon as possible," said landscape architect Brett Davis.

Traverse City Mayor Michael Estes was impressed by the city's response to the discovery of the sewage backup. "Everybody responded almost immediately, despite the fact it happened on a Sunday morning," Estes said. "I'm pretty impressed."

Health officials said that anyone who may have come in contact with the water should report any symptoms to their doctors right away.