Want to Walk on Water? Think Again Before Getting in a 'Water Ball'

April 1, 2011— -- Who hasn't dreamed of being able to walk on water? And at many amusement parks, sporting venues, and shopping malls, consumers have been able to do just that inside "water walking balls" -- large, inflatable, transparent plastic balls that a person can climb into, literally to walk on the water's surface.

The water walking balls have numerous brand and ride names, and can be found in watering holes and swimming spots around the nation. Some homeowners even have them in their backyard pools.

But now the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is asking consumers to stop using the balls. It says it has serious safety concerns.

Think of it as being locked inside your own personal beach ball. A person climbs into the ball, the ball is inflated with a blower through a zipper opening, and the zipper is then closed, making the ball airtight. It has five to seven minutes of oxygen inside. The ball and its passenger can be rolled around on surfaces such as grass, ice or water. Some people try to walk in them.

However, the ball has no emergency exit and can only be opened by a person outside the ball. The CPSC says that pre-existing medical conditions such as heart, lung and respiratory difficulties can be made worse by using these water balls.

"Water balls are being used chiefly as entertainment rides for children," CPSC spokesman Carl Purvis says. "And we want to make an all-out effort to alert consumers before someone is seriously hurt or there is a fatality."

The CPSC says that there are serious risks associated with a water ball. Because the ball is airtight, oxygen inside is quickly depleted and carbon monoxide accumulates. The balls have no padding, so injuries can occur if the balls collide or fall out of a pool onto a hard surface.

Since the balls are also used on open water, they could be struck by watercraft or hit solid objects such as a pier.

"There is a potential for drowning if the ball develops a leak or a puncture," says Purvis.