TOLEDO-LUCAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPT.

Officials to survey on Lake Erie algae

8/1/2014

Frequent recreational water users in Lucas County may be asked to help health officials learn more about the algae blooms that have already forced the closure of Mau-mee Bay Park this season.

Community liaisons trained by the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department will knock on doors Monday and Tuesday asking residents to participate in a survey to assess the impact of exposure to harmful algae blooms and to find out more about the population in the affected area.

Toledo-Lucas County Health Commissioner Dr. David Grossman said residents are not panicked about the algae, but people are concerned because the dangerous algae has been spotted in western Lake Erie again this summer.

“There is a possibility if we have more warm summer and more moisture and more runoff that these could bloom more and become a real significant problem,” Dr. Grossman said.

Residents in Oregon and Jerusalem Township, as well as the Western Lucas County communities of Sylvania, Harding, Providence, Monclova and Richfield townships, along with Swanton are part of the targeted area for the project, said Larry Vasko, health department deputy commissioner.

Mr. Vasko said Neilson survey data was used to find areas around Toledo where people are likely to use Lake Erie and other bodies of water on a regular basis.

“This is done in conjunction with the Ohio Department of Health and the Centers For Disease Control. My real concern is the community is aware that we are doing this because there are going to be people in your neighborhood asking questions so our hope is that you will cooperate,” Dr. Grossman said.

The community liaisons will carry health department issued picture identification badges.

He said the input gained from people in the survey will help the health department formulate a plan on how to deal with this issue in the future.