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Water-Related News

Pasco County Health Dept. renews Health Alert for Lake Blanton

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 February 13, 2024. 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 area. Waters where there are algae blooms are not safe for animals. Pets and livestock should have a different source of water when algae bloomsare 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 or bottled water, throw out the guts and cook fish well.
  • Do not eat shellfish in waters with algae blooms.

For updates, visit the Florida DEP Algal Bloom Dashboard.

Blue-green algae was first observed in Lake Blanton in September 2023.