What to Know
- Health officials in NJ are urging the public and their pets to stay out of Monmouth County's largest lake due to high bacteria levels
- It's the second summer in a row that high levels have restricted access to Deal Lake
- Reports say the bloom is not actually algae, but cyanobacteria — one of the oldest life forms on Earth
Health officials in New Jersey are urging the public and their pets to stay out of Monmouth County's largest lake due to high bacteria levels.
It's the second summer in a row that high levels have restricted access to Deal Lake.
The toxic bloom is produced by contaminated stormwater and high temperatures. It can produce toxins that are poisonous to humans and animals that come into contact with it.
Monmouth County health officer Chris Merkel tells The Asbury Park Press that water sampling last week revealed the unsafe levels.
Reports say the bloom is not actually algae, but cyanobacteria — one of the oldest life forms on Earth, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
He says more testing will be conducted Thursday on the 158-acre man-made lake to determine if it's safe to reopen the lake.
