When at a local beach, pool, or beyond, water safety should always be a priority. The water conditions should be safe for swimming and safety tips should be followed. Open water, like lakes, rivers, the ocean or a reservoir, can have dangers such as submerged objects, currents and hidden plant life that can challenge or even entrap a swimmer at any skill level. In Putnam County, blue-green algae blooms pose another, increasingly common health risk for all beachgoers. 

Each summer, health department staff work with public beach operators to identify blue-green algal blooms on local water bodies. These harmful algal blooms, also known as HABs, can present a serious health hazard to people and animals. If swallowed, blue-green algae can cause nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Swimming, walking, or boating through affected water can irritate the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, making it hard to breathe. Dogs and other pets are at higher risk since they swallow more water while swimming and are not deterred by an algae bloom. That’s why public beaches are closed when a bloom appears. Beach closures are listed on the health department’s website, at putnamcountyny.gov/health/beaches. They can reopen once water testing shows that the bloom is gone. 

HABs can appear when certain conditions are met. This includes excess nitrogen and phosphorus, a lot of sunlight, low water flow, calm water, and warm temperatures. As temperatures in New York State continue to increase, this may contribute to more algal blooms in the coming years. A bloom can happen in surface water, on rocks, on the shoreline, or on the bottom of a waterbody. In surface water, it can look like floating paint or scum, and it might be strongly colored blue-green, green, yellow, brown, purple, or red. Pictures can be found below, and also on the beach closure website. If you see blue-green algal bloom on a public beach, report it to the municipality as soon as possible to prevent injury.  

To keep your family safe while swimming, keep these tips in mind: 

• Know the water—Do not go into open water without knowing the possible dangers specific to the site’s water and weather conditions. 
• Know your limits. Drowning often happens when a person swims and gets too tired. Learn to swim, float and tread water, but don’t overestimate your abilities. 
• Always use the buddy system—never swim alone. 
• Swim where and when a lifeguard is on duty whenever possible. 
• Install and use proper barriers and alarms if you have a backyard pool. Do not use the pool if drain covers are missing. Long hair, arms, legs and fingers can get stuck in the drain’s current and pull a person under water. 
• Remove pool toys when you finish swimming. Left in the water, toys may attract younger children who may reach for them and fall in. 
• Never leave a child near the water unattended even for a moment and avoid any distractions while supervising children. 
• Keep all pool chemicals out of reach of children and only use them according to package directions. 

Additional Information: 

• https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/water-quality/harmful-algal-blooms  
• https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/water/drinking/bluegreenalgae/ 
• https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/data-research/facts/ 
• https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/water-safety/swim-safety.html   
• https://drowningpreventionfoundation.org/ 

Examples of blue-green algae: