Toxic algae creates water woes for summer swimmers

Swimming advisories are being issued at lakes and rivers across the country because of harmful algal blooms.

Transcript

00:00Swimming advisories are being issued at high rates this summer because of harmful algal blooms in lakes and rivers across the country.

00:09And a bloom is really an overgrowth of a kind of algae in the water.

00:14The excessive algae growth is caused by pollution. Large clumps of algae float in the water, turning it bright green.

00:21While this can happen year-round, it's more likely to occur in the summer.

00:26Cyanobacteria, the organisms that cause these blooms, like warmer water, they also do particularly well in stagnant water.

00:34And typically you see a nice, calm summer day is really the ideal sort of situation for that.

00:41Algal blooms can be dangerous to you and your pets.

00:44When in doubt, stay out. If it's green, just be mindful of that.

00:48To stay safe this summer, it's important to follow local swimming advisories.

00:53Avoid getting in or near contaminated water, and do not touch or swallow it either.

00:58You should also keep children and pets away from the water.

01:01Blooms can cause skin irritation just due to contact.

01:06If you do come into contact with toxic algae, rinse off with clean water right away.

01:11If you begin to experience symptoms like a rash or fever, call your health care provider.

01:16For AccuWeather, I'm Emmy Victor.