A toxic blue-green algae bloom has been found in Little Beach at Slack Reservoir in Smithfield, the Rhode Island Department of Health warned residents on Thursday.
Swimming, boating, fishing, and kayaking should be avoided for the time being, health officials said. Boiling lake water would not make it safe to drink or use for cooking, they said. Pet owners should not allow their animals to go in the water either.
The potentially hazardous blooms may affect surrounding ponds and lakes, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management noted. Blue-green algae is prone to showing up in bright green mats or streaks on the water’s surface.
Contact with the bacteria may cause skin rashes or hives, though more serious health issues like stomachache, vomiting, nausea, dizziness, headache, and fever are possible in some people, especially children and pets. Inhaling the toxins can cause coughing and difficulty breathing.
Anyone who comes in contact with the affected water should rinse their skin off as soon as possible and take a shower when they get home, the Department of Health said. Pets should be washed off as soon as possible as well. Children should be watched for signs of poisoning and taken to a doctor if symptoms arise.
Anyone who sees signs of a blue-green algae bloom in a Rhode Island pond or lake is asked to call the R.I. DEM Office of Water Resources at 222-4700 or email DEM.OWRCyano@dem.ri.gov.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
