Submitted by the Thurston County Health Department
The Thurston County Health Department has confirmed there is a blue-green algae bloom in Summit Lake. As algae blooms can become toxic, the Health Department has taken a sample to test for potential toxins and expect to have results back next week.
The public and residents use Summit Lake as a recreational site and many residents depend on the lake for drinking water. When there is an algae bloom present, we recommend extra precautions be taken to avoid the health risks posed by potential toxins.
- Do not drink water taken from the lake until laboratory tests show the water is safe. Even homes with disinfection and treatment systems should take precautions because most water treatment systems do not remove or deactivate algae toxin.
- Avoid contact with water containing algae.
- Keep pets and livestock away from areas where algae blooms are present.
- When fishing, it is safest to catch-and-release any fish caught during a toxic algae bloom.
The Health Department has notified Summit Lake residents of the algae bloom.
You can learn more about toxic algae blooms and health risks on the Washington State Department of Health’s Blue-Green Algae website, or contact the Thurston County Health Department at 360-867-2626.
