These toxins in water can kill a dog in an hour, and sicken people inside and out

A harmful algal bloom at a popular northwestern New Jersey outdoor recreation area is so serious that the state banned swimming there all summer.

In the wake of the closure announced July 4 at Spruce Run Recreation Area in Hunterdon County, we took a look at what environmental regulators and health officials want you to know about avoiding HABs in water bodies and waterways.

“Harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur when algae — simple photosynthetic organisms that live in the sea and freshwater — grow out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says.

Both New Jersey and Pennsylvania offer interactive dashboards that are updated regularly with HAB advisories and where they’re located.

It’s a problem that can arise as water temperature rise, generally from mid-June to late August, though HABs can occur any time of the year if conditions are right, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

An algal bloom can look like foam, scum, mats, or paint floating on the surface of water, the DEP says — some blooms are not visible at the water surface, and a HAB can make water look soupy or shades of blue, green, brown, yellow, orange or red. In our region, concerns arise when a waterbody becomes dominated by blue-green algae that start producing cyanotoxins and become a toxic algal bloom.

Laboratory testing is required to confirm HABs — their presence can’t be confirmed by visual observation alone. If a HAB is suspected or confirmed, experts strongly recommend people and pets avoid both contact with the water and ingesting the water.

Even breathing in contaminated water droplets or mist from recreational activities or wind-blown sea spray can cause illness.

In people, symptoms can vary depending on the type of exposure, amount and type of toxin and how long the person was exposed to the contaminated water or bloom, according to the DEP: Topical symptoms include rashes, blisters, hives, and eye and nose irritations; if swallowed, potential symptoms could include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, numbness of lips, tingling in fingers and toes, dizziness and headache.

Dogs, who can be attracted to algal scum odors, can be exposed to cyanobacterial poisoning by drinking the water, eating washed-up mats or scum of toxic cyanobacteria, by having skin contact with water, and by grooming their fur and paws after exposure, the DEP says.

Signs of toxic poisoning in dogs can include excessive salivation, weakness, staggered walking, difficulty breathing, or convulsions and can occur within 30 minutes to a few hours after exposure, according to the DEP. A lot of the effects depend on the size of the dog, the type of toxin, the toxin concentration and how much toxin the dog has ingested, experts say.

“In severe cases, dogs can show signs of cyanobacterial poisoning within a few minutes and can die within an hour of toxin exposure,” the DEP states.

If you see a HAB, the DEP recommends you:

• Stay out of the water.
• Don’t let children or pets play in HAB debris on shore.
• After swimming/wading in water, even with no visible HABs, rinse off with fresh water as soon as possible.
• Never swallow untreated surface water. It may contain algal toxins or bacteria, parasites or viruses that could cause illness if consumed.
• Do not let pets lick or eat HAB material from their fur.
• Don’t drink/cook with suspected water. In-home treatments like boiling, chlorine bleach or water filtration units offer no protection from HAB toxins.
• See a doctor if you or your children might be ill from HAB toxins. Contact your veterinarian for sick pets.

In addition to warm temperatures, HABs most commonly occur in waters with calm, slow-moving and stagnant water with high concentrations of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. The most common sources of these excess nutrients in waterways and waterbodies include stormwater runoff from agricultural, urban and suburban landscapes; discharges from point source discharges like wastewater treatment plants and concentrated animal feeding operations; malfunctioning septic systems; and cracked sewer pipes.

The Lehigh County Authority says citizens can help prevent HABs by rethinking lawn maintenance routines: “Try applying a light layer of compost instead of chemical fertilizers. Don’t allow leaves and grass clippings to wash into streams, ponds or lakes. Consider building a buffer zone, which will trap nutrients before they reach rivers, ponds, lakes and streams. Inside the home, switch to shampoos and detergents that are free of phosphorous — another type of nutrient that washes into our waterways.”

Visit dep.pa.gov to learn more about HABs in Pennsylvania. In New Jersey, visit dep.nj.gov.