Health Department warns residents to avoid the water at these 2 Pierce County lakes
If you plan to chill at a Pierce County lake this weekend, there are two you may want to avoid.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department issued toxic algae caution advisories on Sept. 30 for Spanaway Lake and Silver Lake in Eatonville. People and pets are advised to avoid swimming, fishing or waterskiing as the algae can pose health concerns.
TPCHD retrieved samples from the lakes Sept. 26 and received results Sept. 30. TPCHD will acquire samples from the lakes again next week. If the toxic algae blooms are gone, advisories will be in place for two weeks.
Toxic algae naturally occur in lakes and can produce toxins that make people and animals sick. They closely resemble green pea soup and can look streaky or clumpy.
Those who ingest water with toxic algae can get muscle weakness, vomiting, diarrhea or nausea. Skin contact may cause irritation or rashes. Small children and pets are at the most risk.
Symptoms arise within minutes to hours of exposure. Those exposed to water with toxic algae must immediately rinse themselves and look for signs of illness. Seek medical treatment if symptoms occur.
