It's Okay To Drink The Water, Chicago

By Chuck Sudo in News on Aug 4, 2014 4:40PM

Water from Lake Michigan was deemed safe to drink Sunday after the Chicago Department of Water Management tested several samples for microcystin, a toxin found in an algal bloom that has wreaked havoc with the water quality in Toledo, Ohio.

Toledo placed a tap water ban in effect Saturday, which sent nearly a half-million people searching for clean water. Ohio Gov. John Kasich declared a state of emergency Sunday. Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins said the city’s water supply was safe to drink Monday morning after tests revealed no signs of microcystin. Collins said carbon added to the water at its intake point and added chlorine resulted in the new test results.

Microcycstin is produced in large quantities of blue green algae. In October 2011, fertilizer runoff and heavy rains resulted in the largest blue green algae bloom Lake Erie has seen in decades. The toxin can overwhelm the filter capacities of water treatment plants and result in symptoms including nausea, diarrhea, cramps, and can attack the liver.

Toledo may not be in the clear yet. Scientists project the blue green algae formation will peak in early September.

Chicago Department of Water Management spokesman Gary Litherland told the Tribune water samples from Lake Michigan are taken and tested for microcystin and other toxic algae two to three times per week. Val Klump with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's School of Freshwater Sciences said there was virtually no chance of a similar algae outbreak in Lake Michigan.

Chicago supplies drinkable water to city residents and several suburbs.