NCDEQ Division of Water Resources urges caution around discolored water
Amid summer’s high temperatures, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources reminds the public to avoid contact with discolored water that could indicate the presence of an algal bloom.
Algae naturally occur in all waterbodies, but certain environmental conditions can cause rapid algal cell growth, leading to algal blooms.
Algal blooms can appear as surface scums, which look like spilled paint, and can be bright green, red, brown or blue; they can appear as algal mats, or as dense, macroscopic growths that float on the water surface; and lastly, they can appear as discoloration throughout the water column.
Certain algae can create toxins that can lead to adverse health effects in humans, pets and aquatic organisms. Blooms that can cause negative impacts to people, animals and the environment are called harmful algal blooms (HABs), but they look the same as nonharmful blooms.
N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health (DPH) routinely encourages the public to avoid contact with large accumulations of algae and to prevent children and pets from swimming or ingesting water in an algal bloom.
Remember: When in doubt, stay out.
To report an algal bloom, contact the nearest DEQ regional office or submit a report online. To view reported algal bloom events, visit DWR’s Fish Kill & Algal Bloom Dashboard.
