7/19/22
UPDATE: Leddy Beach is now closed due to a cyanobacteria bloom. Monitor enjoyburlington.com for additional updates today.
ORIGINAL:
A cyanobacteria bloom has been seen at North Beach & Texaco Beach. Signage will be posted and these beaches are closed to water recreation.
CYANOBACTERIA ("BLUE-GREEN" ALGAE) BLOOM CLOSURES
- Parks, Recreation and Waterfront conducts visual inspections of the beaches everyday during recreation season
- Upon the presence of cyanobacteria ("blue-green algae"), a beach will be closed
- Beaches are re-opened when there is no longer a physical presence of cyanobacteria and an on-site toxin screening is negative.
- You and your pets should avoid the water when there is presence of cyanobacteria.
CITY INFRASTRUCTURE & BLOOMS
We understand the public's concern about these blooms. Blooms are a longer term challenge all of the Lake Champlain Basin must work through, and are the result of long-term, wide scale nutrient inputs from all land use sectors. Wastewater sources account for approximately 3-6% of this load.
Burlington has had relatively few Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO) so far in 2022, even in light of some recent heavy downpours. The current health of our wastewater & stormwater system is attributable to major upgrades completed in 2021 at all 3 wastewater treatment plants and an abundance of green infrastructure projects that have reduced combined sewer stormwater inputs over recent years. There is more to come to build an even more resilient system.
While we continue to work on reducing CSOs in order to minimize bacteria inputs into the Lake, acute CSO's alone have not significantly increased the input of bloom-causing nutrients into Lake Champlain.
Please check enjoyburlington.com and Parks Recreation & Waterfront's social media for updates on beach re-openings.
For more information on cyanobacteria, please visit https://www.healthvermont.gov/health-environment/recreational-water/cyanobacteria-blue-green-algae.
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