Health Alert Issued For Blanton Lake Due To Blue-Green Algae

DADE CITY, FL — The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County has issued a health alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algal toxins in Blanton Lake. This is in response to a water sample taken on Nov. 15.

The public should exercise caution in and around Blanton Lake. 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, throw out the guts and cook fish 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.

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