UPDATE: Lake Alert for Lake Formosa EXTENDED
March 16, 2022
UPDATED Information- A Lake Alert for Lake Formosa was issued on January 28, 2022, due to a potentially unsafe concentration of toxins present in the lake. In collaboration with FDEP, the City of Orlando Stormwater staff have been monitoring and assisting with sampling Lake Formosa since the Lake Alert was issued. This message is to provide an update on the status of the lake.
The results from the latest sampling event performed by FDEP staff, on March 8, 2022, indicate there are no toxins present in the lake at this time. However, out of a preponderance of caution, the City is electing to keep the Lake Alert in effect to ensure the bloom subsides and the lake does not produce additional toxins. City of Orlando staff will continue to work closely with FDEP staff. The lake will be resampled next week by FDEP, and, once the results are obtained, we will provide another update.
Please continue to call the Lake Alert number, 407.246.2220, for the most up-to-date information regarding your lake. During weekdays, the City's Lake Alert website, orlando.gov/lakealert will also have the latest information.
March 8, 2022 – Recent lab results from a sample collected by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection from Lake Formosa were determined to have potentially unsafe concentrations of toxins present. As a result, Lake Formosa will be closely monitored by the City of Orlando and the FDEP. The City and/or the FDEP will collect samples for analysis at a future date (possibly 4-6 weeks) determined by the FDEP for Lake Formosa and will provide updates on any possible detection of algae toxins as reported on the FDEP Algal Bloom Reporting dashboard (https://floridadep.gov/AlgalBloom). Please continue to refrain from irrigating and recreating on the lake, including swimming, fishing and boating until further notice.
Original Lake Alert:
On December 29, 2020, the City of Orlando was notified that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) had collected samples at Lake Formosa that tested positive for microcystins (toxins). Upon this information, City of Orlando staff also sampled Lake Formosa, confirming the positive results for the microcystins, resulting from an algal bloom in the lake at levels deemed unsafe by state standards. Due to these conditions, we advise all activities involving swimming, recreating, and irrigating in/from Lake Formosa suspend until further notice.
These conditions are caused by algae blooms that could be a result of several factors, including warmer water and excessive nutrients that can come from a combination of fertilizers, septic tanks, yard waste and pet waste.
Because of the potential for harm to humans and pets, the City staff is working closely with the FDEP to continue routine testing until the algae bloom declines and toxin levels are reduced to acceptable state standards. The city will keep the Lake Alert in place until conditions are deemed to be safe. Please encourage your neighbors to register for the Lake Alert at orlando.gov/lakealert so they too will get important information about Lake Formosa directly.
Additional information:
www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/aquatic-toxins/harmful-algae-blooms
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