It’s happened before, and it’s happened again, a dangerous algae bloom has closed Jamaica Pond. That means no boating, no fishing, and don’t let your dogs go in or near the water, or on shore.
The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) announced the closure on Oct. 6 due to a suspected bloom of blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria. The blooms may produce toxins that can make people and pets sick. So people are being urged to avoid contact with the water and any areas of algae concentration, including on shore.
Contact with the dangerous blooms can cause skin and eye irritation, and inhaling the blooms could cause respiratory issues. The toxins are not absorbed through the skin, according to a Boston Public Health Commission press release. Other problems can occur such as vomiting and diarrhea.
The BPHC will work with the state’s Department of Public Health (DPH) to determine when it’s safe again to continue recreational activities and touch the water. DPH recommends that the water advisory not be lifted until two consecutive weekly samples show algal cell counts below the safe limit of 70,000 cells/milliliter of water, said the press release.
