Officials warn of blue-green algae found in Huntington Bay pond
Suffolk County health officials Tuesday announced the findings of cyanobacteria blooms, more commonly known as blue-green algae, in Willow Pond in Huntington Bay.
It’s the first recorded bloom this year, officials said, and now they’re warning residents not to swim or even wade in the pond — and to keep children and pets from the area, due to the health risks the blooms pose. The area affected includes an overflow box near the shoreline, about 200 feet west of Vineyard Road in Huntington Bay, officials said.
Cyanobacteria are a naturally formed group of photosynthetic oxygen-producing bacteria that produce a range of toxins, known as cyanotoxins, that are harmful to animals and humans.
Willow Pond has had prior outbreaks, and health officials warn if contact does occur to rinse with clean water immediately and to seek medical attention if you have symptoms of infection.
Those symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; skin, eye or throat irritation; or, allergic reactions and breathing difficulties.
To find the status of all fresh waters in New York State, access the state Department of Environmental Conservation website at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/96801.html.
For more information on algae blooms, go to: https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/water/drinking/bluegreenalgae/.
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
