The Florida Department of Health in Lee County has issued a health alert for the presence of blue-green algae in the Franklin Lock.
The alert is due to a water sample taken on Monday.
The public is asked to exercise caution in and around Franklin Lock C43 Canal – S79 (Upstream).
Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions:
- Do not drink, swim, wade, use personal watercraft, water ski or boat in waters where
there is a visible bloom. - Wash your skin and clothing with soap and water if you have contact with algae or
discolored or smelly water. - Keep pets away from the area. Waters, where there are algae blooms, are not safe for
animals. Pets and livestock should have a different source of water when algae blooms
are present. - Do not cook or clean dishes with water contaminated by algae blooms. Boiling the water
will not eliminate the toxins. - Eating fillets from healthy fish caught in freshwater lakes experiencing blooms is safe. Rinse fish fillets with tap or bottled water, throw out the guts and cook fish well.
- Do not eat shellfish in waters with algae blooms.