The Florida Department of Health in Marion County has issued a health alert after harmful blue-green algal toxins were found in Silver Glen Springs.
According to local health officials, the alert is in response to a water sample that was taken on Thursday, September 12. The public is being urged to use caution in and around Silver Glen Springs.
Residents and visitors should take the following precautions:
- Do not drink, swim, wade, use a 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 an alternative 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 water or bottled water, throw out the guts, and cook the fish thoroughly.
- Do not eat shellfish in waters with algae blooms.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and its partners collect algae samples from reported bloom locations. After samples are analyzed at their laboratory, the toxin results can be viewed by clicking here or visiting the department’s Algal Bloom Dashboard.
Blue-green algae are a type of bacteria that is common in Florida’s freshwater environments. A bloom occurs when a rapid growth of algae leads to an accumulation of individual cells that discolor the water. Floating mats are often produced that emit unpleasant odors.
Environmental factors that contribute to blue-green algae blooms include sunny days, warm water temperatures, still water conditions, and excess nutrients. Blooms can appear year-round, but they are more common in the summer and fall seasons. Many types of blue-green algae are capable of producing toxins.
In order for the health alert for Silver Glen Springs to be lifted, negative toxin analyses must be obtained from resampling of the bloom, or 30 days must elapse since the last sampling date.
Blue-green algae blooms can impact the health of individuals and ecosystems, including fish and other aquatic animals. To learn more about the potential health effects of algal blooms, visit the Florida Department of Health’s Harmful Algae Blooms webpage.
To report an algal bloom, contact the Florida Department of Environmental Protection at 1-855-305-3903 or click here to report it online.
For more information about Florida’s water quality status and public health notifications for harmful algal blooms and beach conditions, visit the department’s Protecting Florida Together website.
Any residents who believe their pet has become ill after consuming or having contact with blue-green algae contaminated water should contact their veterinarian.
To report symptoms from exposure to a harmful algal bloom, or any aquatic toxin, call the Florida Poison Information Center at 1-800-222-1222 to speak with a poison specialist.
To report fish kills, contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute at 1-800-636-0511.
If anyone has additional health questions or concerns about blue-green algae blooms, call the Florida Department of Health in Marion County at 352-629-0137.