Water in Wisconsin: Warmth Spikes Bacteria Levels & Algae Blooms

MADISON, Wis. (CIVIC MEDIA) – Beaches are open and the weather is warming up with e. coli and algae blooms starting, here’s what to look out for.

Bacteria in the water. Our very own lakes can have very high levels of e.coli and you do not want to swim in it, it can make you sick. The Mayo Clinic says it’s a bacteria that usually lives in animals’ intestines. This nasty bug gets into our water after rain pushes urban sewer water and rural agricultural runoff into our lakes and streams. 

A problem in the state as fertilizer seeps into our water system from farm fields, alongside manure getting washed into our waters we use for recreation, sparking significant algae blooms.

It’s called cyanobacteria, or what we call, blue-green algae in our fresh water systems. It’s the outbreak of smelly and slimy microorganisms that can kill fish and block sunlight from deeper water organisms.

For us, it causes nausea, vomiting and may move to more serious, longer-term health issues, like liver failure and cancer. It can happen for people swimming, eating fish from there or drinking the infected water.

So the DNR and other agencies have to monitor hundreds of lakes and beaches for unhealthy levels. There’s actually an interactive map on their website so you can check ahead of time. Or if you are already there, signs should be posted at those beaches.

Higher temperatures and increased sunlight in summer months encourage and increase algae blooms, and so does standing water.

Remember if the water looks or smells bad, stay out of it and keep kids, pets, and livestock away. Follow advice from officials if a harmful algal bloom is your water. Fountains have been used to fight this in local ponds, and people in the community are using rain barrels to reduce runoff, and phosphorus-free fertilizers help.

If your dog has been swimming in a lake or pond with suspected bacteria, health experts say to closely monitor for any signs of poisoning and be sure to wash them with clean water. In severe cases, dogs can show signs within a few minutes.