Lucas County Health Department has posted this notice on its web site:
#Urgent Message from the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department
#Chemists testing water at Toledo’s Collins Park Water Treatment Plant tested for microcystin in excess of the recommended amount. Those who receive water from the City of Toledo Water Plant are being told not to drink the water. Alternative water should be used for drinking, making infant formula, making ice, brushing teeth and preparing food. Pets should not drink the water.
#Do not drink the water: Consuming water containing algal toxins may result in abnormal liver function, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, numbness or dizziness. Seek medical attention if you feel you have been exposed to algal toxins and are having adverse health effects.
#Do not boil the water: Boiling the water will not destroy the toxins. It will increase the concentration of the toxins.
#Do not have skin contact with the water: Skin contact with contaminated water can cause irritation or rashes.
#Keep your pets safe: These toxins can affect your pets too. Contact a veterinarian immediately if pets or livestock show signs of illness.
Also from City of Toledo Facebook page:
#Any method that the water can be ingested is not advised. This includes washing dishes, vegetables, etc. Filtration systems, such as carbon filters, will not remove the toxins.
#Please stay tuned for further updates, which will be provided as soon as possible, as long as the information is deemed as factual.
White Paper on Cyanobacteria
http://epa.ohio.gov/portals/28/documents/HAB/AlgalToxinTreatmentWhitePaper.pdf
I did read the entire thread, and I want to add my own two cents.
I work in the pool industry. We routinely computer test our clients’ water to balance the water chemistry (for optimum chlorine, salt, non-chlorine). One of the test we routinely run for chlorine/salt pools is for phosphate levels. The last two seasons we have had remarkable 2500+ ppm phosphates reads on FRESH FILLS (new pools or pools getting replacement liners). This is tap water! We learned that our water authority (as many municipalities do) adds phosphate to our drinking water to (and this is the OFFICIAL term used in literature) “DE-GUNK” our old infrastructure. I cannot help but wonder if this routine procedure is ADDING to HABs like this.
Also, for the preppers, make sure you read labels if you use pool grade dry chlorine (shock) for water purification. ONLY calcium hypochlorite should be used—DO NOT EVER USE a tri-chlor shock for water purification to potable standards.
similar thread
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3188296/posts
Update at post 26
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3188296/posts?page=26#26
I’d wager that they wished they had an emergency reserve of water now. Since I have my stash completed, I see stories like this rather regularly and I advice many folks to get an emergency stash of water.....
Mostly they just laugh at me...