Health Alert Issued For Toxic Algae In 2 Northwest Hillsborough Lakes

TAMPA, FL — The Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County has issued a health alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algal toxins at both Lake George North in the Lake Magdalene Area and Little Half Moon Lake South in the Keystone area.

This is in response to water samples taken on June 15.

The public should exercise caution in and around these lakes.

Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions:

• Do not drink, swim, wade, use personal watercraft, water ski or boat in waters where there is a visible bloom.
• Wash your skin and clothing with soap and water if you have contact with algae or discolored or smelly water.
• Keep pets away from the area. Waters where there are algae blooms are not safe for animals. Pets and livestock should have a different source of water when algae blooms are present.
• Do not cook or clean dishes with water contaminated by algae blooms. Boiling the water will not eliminate the toxins.
• Eating fillets from healthy fish caught in freshwater lakes experiencing blooms is safe. Rinse fish fillets with tap or bottled water and cook well.
• Do not eat shellfish in waters with algae blooms.

Blue-green algae are a type of bacteria that is common in Florida's freshwater environments. A bloom occurs when rapid growth of algae leads to an accumulation of individual cells that discolor water and often produce floating mats that emit unpleasant odors.

Some environmental factors that contribute to blue-green algae blooms are sunny days, warm water temperatures, still water conditions and excess nutrients.