Blue-green algae is blooming in Middle island's Artist Lake, DEC says

Blue-green algae is blooming in Middle Island's Artist Lake, which means neither people nor pets should swim or wade there, officials said. 

The latest cyanobacteria bloom joins a list of others where the algae has been found, including Lake Agawam, Big Fresh Pond and Sagg Pond in Southampton; Georgica Pond in East Hampton; and Mill Pond in Water Mill, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said.

Anyone who comes in contact with the floating scum, which also can be green, yellow, brown or red, should immediately rinse it off with clean water, and seek medical care if they become nauseous, vomit or develop diarrhea, skin, eye or throat irritation, or have allergic reactions or difficulty breathing, the state agency said. 

To report a possible blue-green algae bloom at a Suffolk County-permitted bathing beach, contact the county Department of Health Services’ Office of Ecology at 631-852-5760 between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. or by email at any time at scdhsweb@suffolkcountyny.gov.

To report a bloom where there is no county permitted bathing beach, contact the Division of Water at New York State DEC: 518-402-8179 between 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. or anytime via email at habsinfo@dec.ny.gov.

For a comprehensive list of affected water bodies in New York State, visit the DEC’s Harmful Algal Bloom Notification Page at http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/83310.html

For more information about blue-green algae, visit the Suffolk County health website: http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/HealthServices/EnvironmentalQuality/Ecology/MarineWaterQualityMonitoring/HarmfulAlgalBlooms/Cyanobacteria.aspx