CNY Central.com
ONEIDA, N.Y. — Officials are urging people and pets to stay out of the water at Sylvan Beach after harmful algal blooms were detected the worst the village says they’ve seen in the past 10 years.
The blooms have not only shut down swimming, but also left a strong odor along the shoreline.
“I do smell a difference,” visitor James Ours said. “Kind of like a bacteria smell almost.”
Walter Hang, president of the Environmental Health Research Group, says contact with harmful algal blooms can cause a range of health problems from skin irritation to neurological issues.
“If you see pea-green water at a beach, lake or river, don’t touch it. Don’t swim in it. Don’t let your pets go in that water,” Hang said. “If you have become exposed, you should check with your physician. If you feel sick, seek medical care right away.”
Hang says the blooms form when warm water, usually starting in June, combines with excessive phosphorus and nitrogen — conditions that allow cyanobacteria to flourish.
Some visitors were caught off guard by the closure, including Sean Andreotta, who drove 40 minutes to the beach.
“Right as I stepped onto the beach, I noticed nobody was there,” Andreotta said. “Then I got hit with the really nauseous aroma It’s actually displaying purple and blue. It looks like toxic waste to be totally honest.”