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Pasco County Health Dept. issues HEALTH ALERT for blue-green algae in Lake Blanton

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October 30, 2023

PASCO COUNTY – 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 October 24, 2023.

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 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 Boiling the water will not eliminate the toxins.
  • Eating fillets from healthy fish caught in freshwater lakes experiencing blooms is Rinse fish fillets with tap or bottled water, throw out the guts and cook fish well.
  • Do not eat shellfish in waters with algae
For water quality updates, please visit the statewide algal bloom dashboard.