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Kentucky Water And Health Officials Warn Summer Swimmers About Health Risks

The Kentucky Department for Public Health and the Division of Water are warning summertime swimmers to avoid areas that contain harmful algal blooms. 

Algal blooms are a type of cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae that grows in warm and low-flow water conditions.

The bacteria can irritate skin and cause nausea and other gastrointestinal problems. Officials recommend that if someone is around algal blooms that they avoid inhaling the water and thoroughly wash their skin after swimming. 

Officials also recommend that people restrict pets or livestock from drinking water that has bright-blue or green scum and to clean fish filets with non-lake water before consuming. 

People with allergies and children are particularly sensitive to the adverse affects algal blooms.  

Land Between the Lakes Communications Resource Assistant Emily Cleaver said LBL isn’t frequently impacted by algal blooms because of the fast currents of the rivers and lakes.

She said there are no alerts in LBL for areas that contain algal blooms currently; any future safety concerns will be posted on their website.   

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