Portsmouth Pond Declared Unsafe Due To Algae Bloom

PORTSMOUTH, RI — The Rhode Island Department of Health and Department of Environmental Management are encouraging Rhode Island residents to stay away from Melville Pond until further notice. A blue-green algae bloom has taken over the Portsmouth pond, making it unsafe for both humans and animals.

All contact with the pond, including swimming, fishing, boating and kayaking should be avoided until the area is declared safe, the health department said, and pets should be kept away from the water as well.

Contact with the algae can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, nose and throat. Ingesting the affected water lead to gastrointestinal issues such as stomach aches, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea, as well as the less-common risk of most severe symptoms such as dizziness, headache, fever, liver damage and nervous system damage. Young children and pets are most at risk of becoming ill from algae toxins in the water.

Anyone who has had contact with the pond should contact their doctor right away if they show any of the symptoms listed. If you come in contact with the water, rinse your skin as soon as possible. When you get home, wash your clothes and take a shower.

Residents are asked to stay away from the pond until the DEM or department of health declares the area safe, as the algae toxins can still be present in the water even if they are no long visible.

Throughout the summer, the department of health asks Rhode Islanders to keep an eye out for algae blooms, which can look like pea soup, paint or green cottage cheese in the water. If you see an algae bloom, contact the DEM's Office of Water Resources at 222-4700 or email DEM.OWRCyano@dem.ri.gov with a photo of the algae, if possible.