A ‘huge green algal bloom' has been spotted on Lake Windermere with swimmers and dog-walkers urged to stay out of the water.
Signs were posted around Windermere on Tuesday, August 16 warning people of “blue-green algae present in this water.’ The sign goes on to warn people to keep livestock and pets away from affected waters and that the effects on humans can cause skin rashes, sore eyes, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, and muscle and joint pains.
The warning adds that although the long-term effects are rare and no one is known to have died, in some cases people have been very ill, and advises anyone who comes into contact with the water to wash in clean water and contact their doctor or visit the nearest hospital if they feel ill.
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Last Friday, the Environment Agency North West issued a statement via social media which said it was aware of reports of blue-green algae in Windermere, saying someone would be attending the site to test and advising people to keep themselves and pets away and call its incident hotline on 0800 807060, if they saw any.
According to LancsLive, the Environment Agency says on its blog that toxic freshwater algae can be found in freshwaters, particularly lakes, and that blue green algae (cyanobacteria) have the potential to be harmful by forming blooms and scums which can be highly toxic to humans and animals.
It says blooms can discolour the water varying between blue-green, green or greenish brown, while they can also look like flakes of green sawdust, or brownish pinheads, adding that during calm weather cyanobacterial blooms can form scums which are often blown to the shoreline of lakes, adding that these can look like paint, jelly or flock.
It says that when blooms and scums decay they can sometimes leave a lasting blue-green colour. It advises people to avoid coming into contact with blue-green algal blooms or scums as they can be toxic and can lead to a variety of symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea.
For dogs and livestock, ingestion of scums can be fatal, so pet owners and farmers need to keep animals away, says the blog, which states that warning signs advising against bathing will be displayed if a toxic bloom is confirmed.
The blog says algal blooms generally occur between April and August, and adds: "You can’t tell if an algal bloom in the sea, lake or river is toxic just by looking at it, so it’s safest to assume it is and avoid contact with the water or algae. If you are concerned that what you see is not algae and is some other kind of pollution, please phone the Environment Agency hotline on 0800 807060 and avoid the water."
A spokesperson for Love Windermere partnership, said: “Windermere is a very special place and we are determined to do everything possible to protect and improve it for generations to come. The lake is certainly not dying. It is however affected by a number of complex challenges including the impact of more extreme weather caused by climate change, an excess of nutrients and seasonal variations of the tourist population.
“We are committed to developing the most effective solutions to maintain and improve water quality in the lake, including collating more scientific evidence to better understand the particular pressures on Windermere to allow us to target more effectively our interventions.”
A United Utilities spokesperson said: “We are pleased to be part of the Love Windermere partnership which is taking a science-based approach to better understand the status of water quality in the lake, and prioritising action to tackle the most pressing areas of impact first.
“For our own part, we have recently completed a multi-million pound infrastructure upgrade project, and the wastewater systems around Windermere now operate to the highest possible standards.”
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