Red Tide in Toledo?
BREAKING: City of Toledo issues warning for water usage:
URGENT NOTICE TO RESIDENTS OF TOLEDO & LUCAS COUNTY WHO RECEIVE WATER FROM THE CITY OF TOLEDO
DO NOT DRINK THE WATER
DO NOT BOIL THE WATER
Chemists testing water at Toledo’s Collins Park Water Treatment Plant had two sample readings for microcystin in excess of the recommended “DO NOT DRINK” 1 micro-gram per liter standard. This notice applies to ALL customers of Toledo water.
Most importantly, water should not be consumed until an all clear is issued. It is important to state that this drinking water alert does NOT recommend boiling, and in fact, boiling water can worsen the situation. Water should not be given to pets.
Additional information as to where to obtain water will be forthcoming, steps will be taken to provide drinkable water if necessary.
What should you do?
DO NOT DRINK THE WATER. Alternative water should be used for drinking, making infant formula, making ice, brushing teeth and preparing food. Pets should not drink the water.
DO NOT BOIL THE WATER. Boiling the water will not destroy the toxins – it will increase the concentration of the toxins.
Consuming water containing algal toxins may result in abnormal liver function, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, numbness or dizziness. Seek medical attention if you feel you have been exposed to algal toxins and are having adverse health effects. Skin contact with contaminated water can cause irritation or rashes. Contact a veterinarian immediately if pets or livestock show signs of illness.
What happened? What is being done?
Lake Erie, which is a source of drinking water for the Toledo water system may have been impacted by a harmful algal bloom (HAB). These organisms are capable of producing a number of toxins that may pose a risk to human and animal health. HABs occur when excess nitrogen and phosphorus are present in lakes and streams. Such nutrients can come from runoff of over-fertilized fields and lawns, from malfunctioning septic systems and from livestock pens.
Additional monitoring is being conducted and we will let you know when the situation has been resolved or if additional precautions should be taken. The water system is running additional tests to verify the severity of the microcystin levels in our water supply.
Please stay tuned to media for more information and share this information with friends, family or neighbors that may not have been informed through this media release. A phone number for the public to call will be included in a future release.
= new reply since forum marked as read
"What IF" and I will be the first to acknowledge it is a crazy and potentially dangerous one.
What if we treated lake Erie like we treat a person who has developed an intestinal problem after taking a course of antibiotics? What if we seeded areas prone to this sort of bloom with a beneficial algae instead? In other words, seed the environment and let nature take its course. What type of algae?? How about cyanobacteria for starters.
And while this type of bacteria can be toxic, I would recommend using one that isn't and let the red tide compete for survival with it. Non-toxic (nutritional) algae can be found at www.cyanotech.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria
Cyanobacteria can be found in almost every terrestrial and aquatic habitat—oceans, fresh water, damp soil, temporarily moistened rocks in deserts, bare rock and soil, and even Antarctic rocks. They can occur as planktonic cells or form phototrophic biofilms. They are found in almost every endolithic ecosystem.[6] A few are endosymbionts in lichens, plants, various protists, or sponges and provide energy for the host. Some live in the fur of sloths, providing a form of camouflage.[7]
Aquatic cyanobacteria are known for their extensive and highly visible blooms that can form in both freshwater and marine environments. The blooms can have the appearance of blue-green paint or scum. These blooms can be toxic, and frequently lead to the closure of recreational waters when spotted. Marine bacteriophages are significant parasites of unicellular marine cyanobacteria.[8]
