UPDATE – March 5, 2024

As a result of testing performed on Feb. 28th, the Orange County Dept. of Health has renewed the Health Alert issued for Lake Pearl-Center. For updates, visit the FDEP Algal Bloom Dashboard.

Prior notices follow

Feb. 19, 2024

The Orange County Health Department has issued a Health Alert for Lake Pearl, as testing has detected toxins in the water in the vicinity of the bloom.

Feb. 13, 2024

ORLANDO – The Florida Department of Health in Orange County has issued a Health Caution for the presence of blue-green algae in Lake Pearl - Center. This is in response to a water sample taken by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on February 12, 2024. The public should exercise caution in and around Lake Pearl - Center.

(The Department of Health uses a two-tiered notification of Health Cautions and Health Alerts. For blue-green algae, a Health Caution is based on the presence of a bloom, and a Health Alert is issued on the basis of toxin detected.)

Blooms have the potential to produce toxins, and what triggers them to begin doing so remains poorly understood. For this reason, it is important to exercise caution, as bloom conditions are dynamic and could change at any time. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) collects algae samples from reported bloom locations for toxin analysis. Once completed, the results will be posted on the FDEP Algal Bloom Dashboard, and can also be viewed on the Protecting Florida Together website, where you can sign up to be notified of the latest conditions.

Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions:

• We do not recommend that you swim, wade, use personal watercraft, water ski or boat in waters where there is a visible bloom.
• Avoid getting water in your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• You should keep pets and livestock away from the waters in this location.
• 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 to the appropriate temperature.
• You should not eat shellfish from this location.

For updates, please visit the FDEP statewide Algal Bloom Dashboard.