A water sample taken Wednesday sparked the health alert, and the Florida Department of Health in Clay County urges the public to “exercise caution in and around Doctors Lake.”Do not drink, swim, wade, use personal watercraft, water ski or boat in waters where there is a visible bloom.
Keep pets away from the area. Waters where there are algae blooms are not safe for animals. Pets and livestock should have a different source of water when algae blooms are present. Eating fillets from healthy fish caught in freshwater lakes experiencing blooms is safe. Rinse fish fillets with tap or bottled water, throw out the guts and cook fish well.Blue-green algae are a type of bacteria that is common in Florida’s freshwater environments. A bloom occurs when rapid growth of algae leads to an accumulation of individual cells that discolor water and often produce floating mats that emit unpleasant odors.
about Florida’s water quality status and public health notifications for harmful algal blooms and beach conditions by visiting