Peoria Standard

Microscopic organisms are making Illinois waters their home as rising temperatures encourage growth to eventually become algae blooms.

“Water users urged to avoid algal blooms,” Rep. Thomas Bennett wrote on Facebook.

The Effingham Daily News reported that not all blooms are toxic. However, toxic chemical-producing blooms could make humans and animals sick.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) said residents should avoid touching, swimming, inhaling or drinking water that looks like spilled, green or blue-green paint; has surface scums, mats or films; has a blue or green crust at the shoreline; is discolored or has green-colored streaks; or has greenish globs suspended in the water below the surface.

The Chicago Tribune reported that blooms were problematic back in 2017.

With the temperatures rising, IDPH stated on June 9 that residents or local officials who suspect a cyanobacteria bloom may report the bloom to the Illinois EPA.

“There’s always (a) concern that you’re going to have a banner bad year. There’s always hope that you’re not going to find much,” Gregg Good, surface water section manager with the Illinois EPA, said in the Chicago Tribune.

IDPH explained how these algae blooms can be harmful and what to do if an exposure has taken place.

"While most blue-green algal blooms are not harmful, the blooms that produce toxins can be. Health effects can occur when surface scums or waters containing high levels of algal toxins are swallowed, come in contact with skin or when airborne droplets containing toxins are inhaled. The most common symptom of exposure to algal toxins is skin irritation with onset occurring after direct contact with the water," the website stated.

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, throat irritation, allergic reactions or difficulty breathing. 

"Blue-green algal blooms can look like blue or green paint spilled into the water, thick puffy blue or green foam on the surface of the water, or swirling colors beneath the surface of the water. Blue-green algal blooms can also have distinct smells. Odors have been described as grassy, fishy or a septic odor, which in some cases can cause nausea," according to the website.