The Florida Department of Health in Seminole County is again asking people to be careful around Lake Howell, this time while water samples from the lake are still being tested for blue-green algae toxins, according to the department's notice as reported by WFTV on Friday.
The notice says toxins are possible whenever this kind of algae blooms, and conditions on a lake can shift quickly, so the department is advising caution even though toxins have not yet been confirmed in this round of sampling.
Lake Howell sits in southern Seminole County near Casselberry, roughly 4 miles south of the center of Winter Springs.
What the department advises
- Stay out of the water where a bloom is visible: no drinking, swimming, wading or riding personal watercraft.
- If you touch algae or discolored or foul-smelling water, wash your skin and clothes with soap and water.
- Keep dogs and livestock away from the water and give them another source to drink from.
- Do not use bloom water for cooking or washing dishes. The department notes that boiling does not remove the toxins.
- Fish that appear healthy can still be eaten: fillets taken from the lake are considered safe when rinsed with tap or bottled water, cleaned of guts and cooked thoroughly. Shellfish from bloom waters should not be eaten.
The department says children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems can be affected even at low toxin levels and should avoid contact altogether. Blooms can look like scum, foam, floating mats or what resembles paint on the water's surface.
A recurring problem this year
This is not the lake's first warning. DOH-Seminole's health alert page lists Lake Howell alerts issued July 13, July 24, Aug. 10, Aug. 24, Sept. 11, Sept. 29 and Oct. 16. The Oct. 16 alert followed a sample taken Oct. 12 that found toxins present.
