Lake Cochituate Cyanobacteria Bloom Keeps Wayland Beach Closed

WAYLAND, MA — Wayland Town Beach remained closed Thursday a week after elevated levels of cyanobacteria were detected in Lake Cochituate last week.

The state Department of Public Health's beach closures website on Thursday still listed the town beach as off-limits due to the potentially harmful algae bloom.

Town health officials closed the beach last Thursday after water tests found cyanobacteria levels at more than 150,000 cells per milliliter of water, which is more than double the state health guideline for safe swimming. The water will be retested, but will have to remain below the threshold of 70,000 cells/ml for two weeks before the warning will go away. That means the beach could reopen next week if the levels have dropped by then.

Cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, has the potential to produce toxins that can cause a range of symptoms, from irritated skin to neurological problems. The risk is the same for people and pets, so everyone is being advised to steer clear of the water.

Wayland Town Beach is one of nine beaches across the state closed due to cyanobacteria as of this week. Framingham's Waushakum Beach and Saxonville Beach are among them, as well as Cochituate State Park Beach in Natick.