BOSTON — Health officials say there is an elevated count of cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, in the Charles River this weekend.
The Boston Public Health Commission sent an advisory and posted warning posters along the Esplanade on Friday.
The area downstream of the Mass Avenue Bridge is where tests revealed the high counts of toxins in the water.
Director of the Environmental & Occupational Health Division at BPHC, Paul Shoemaker, says algal blooms can happen any given summer in Boston, and they can be dangerous to people and pets.
“We want to make sure folks are aware of this, that they’re not walking their dogs and playing down by the water right now while this is going on. The concern is the ingestion of the algae, and pets are at risk.”
Ingesting the toxins can lead to nausea, vomiting, or severe stomach issues. It can be more severe or even deadly for pets.
We spoke to people who changed their routines to prevent their pets from getting into the river.
“Aka loves to stop and go for a wade in the water,” Ken Sebesta said. “We usually do that a few times on the way to the university, but today we knew about the warning, so we had to stop him. He didn’t look happy about it, but he soldiered through.”
Shoemaker expects the bloom to stick around for at least a week. We will let you know when it clears out.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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