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An algae bloom was in Lake Erie鈥檚 central basin this week, causing increased testing and increased caution at Cleveland鈥檚 beaches.
Toxin concentrations were high only one day last week. On Friday, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District detected a concentration of 10ppb (parts per billion) at Edgewater Beach. Ohio鈥檚 recreational threshold is 6ppb.
Tests from the sewer district every day since then have shown low levels.
鈥淲e鈥檙e sampling it every day for a week, and after one week, if it鈥檚 still below the threshold, that would be the point where the guidance say we can have the beach sign taken down,鈥� said Scott Broski, the sewer district鈥檚 Superintendent of Environmental Services.
This isn鈥檛 the first time algae blooms have shown up in Cleveland. Broski notes large blooms in 2013 at both Edgewater and Villa Angela Beach, and small blooms at both beaches in 2015.
This year鈥檚 bloom was different.
鈥淚 think this one was a little intense than what we鈥檝e seen in the past, and in the past we鈥檝e seen microcystis,鈥� said Broski. 鈥淚n this case, it was anabaena, which is a different cyanobacteria.鈥�
Anabaena can produce harmful toxins, causing nausea and skin irritation.
Both the US Geological Survey鈥檚 map and the Ohio website offer updates on beach conditions. NEORSD conditions at Edgewater and Villa Angela beaches daily.
The Cleveland Metroparks post water quality signs at its beaches.
Broski says the Cleveland Division of Water has been monitoring raw water coming into its plants, but haven鈥檛 noticed anything that would affect drinking water.