Blue Green Algae Spotted In Sisson Pond: State Health Department

PORTSMOUTH, RI — Blue green algae blooms have been spotted in Sisson Pond, according to the state health department and Department of Environmental management. The blooms can resemble paint or green cottage cheese or even thick pea soup.

The public is reminded to avoid contact with any body of water in Rhode Island that is bright green or has a dense, floating algal mat on the water's surface.
The warning means people should also be careful not to ingest water or eat fish from the pond. All recreation, including fishing, boating, and kayaking, should be avoided. Pets can also be affected by exposure to the algal toxins, so owners should not allow pets to drink or swim in the water. The advisory will remain in effect until further notice. Toxins may persist in the water after a blue-green algae bloom is no longer visible.

Steps for People Sickened by the Algae
Although blooms are most common in the summer and fall, they can take place at any time of the year.People who experience the symptoms associated with cyanobacteria exposure and who have been swimming or fishing in water, or drinking untreated water from a source with a confirmed or suspected cyanobacteria bloom, should contact their healthcare providers.
Contact with water containing cyanobacteria can cause irritation of the skin, nose, eyes, and/or throat. Ingestion of water containing cyanobacterial toxins can cause stomach ache, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea.
People who come into contact with potentially affected waters should rinse their skin and wash their clothes with clean water as soon as possible.
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Steps for Pets Sickened by the Algae

People observing pets exhibiting adverse health symptoms after contact with potentially affected waters should contact their veterinarians. Pets who have come in contact with potentially affected waters should not be allowed to lick water off their fur and should be rinsed with clean water as soon as possible.

Note that Sisson Pond is a drinking water source maintained by Newport Water. Newport Water’s primary goal is to provide safe drinking water for all of its customers. As the main drinking water supplier for the residents of Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth, Newport Water serves nearly 70,000 people. Even when a cyanobacteria bloom is present in a pond, the treated water that Newport Water distributes to homes is safe. Treatment removes harmful bacteria, including cyanobacteria, before the water is delivered to customers. Newport Water follows all state and federal drinking water testing and monitoring requirements to assure that treatment processes are working correctly and the treated water is safe to drink. Drinking untreated water from any pond at any time is not recommended.

Water that is treated to become drinking water comes from nine different surface reservoirs or ponds: St. Mary’s Pond, Sisson Pond, Lawton Valley Reservoir, South and North Easton Ponds, Gardiner Pond, and Paradise Pond located on Aquidneck Island, Nonquit Pond in Tiverton, and Watson Reservoir in Little Compton - all owned and maintained by Newport Water. While RIDOH and RIDEM are now issuing a public health advisory for Sisson Pond, Newport Water’s other water supply ponds also routinely experience blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms. A healthy advisory issued for St. Mary’s Pond earlier this year remains in effect. Most algae blooms occur in the summer and fall, but they can occur at any time of year.

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