Kalamazoo County’s health department has issued a public health advisory for Austin Lake in the city of Portage. That’s because sampling Wednesday indicated the presence of microcystin. That is a type of cyanobacteria that can produce toxins that are dangerous to people and pets.
The health department says people and their pets should avoid direct contact with water that appears blue-green, or that appears to have a green sheen. The sheen on the water might resemble spilled paint.
In severe cases the toxins can cause neurological problems or organ damage in people. They can also be fatal to pets.
People should rinse their pets off with fresh water if they’ve touched contaminated water.
