Guatemala
A recent study detected the increase in cyanobacteria in Amatitlán Lake, and swim or consuming water could be harmful to human and animal health.
AMSA warns that Amatitlán Lake is highly contaminated and it is not advisable to swim, fish or ingest that water. (Free Press Photo: EFE)
The Authority for Sustainable Management of the Basin and Lake Amatitlán (AMSA) carried out a sampling and analysis in the main rivers of the basin and in Lake Amatitlán.
Carol García, of the Control, Environmental Quality and Lagos Management Division, said that a significant proliferation of cyanobacteria was detected.
“We count on the points where we have the proliferation of cyanobacteria, which generates toxicity when touching it with the body. This time of the year is important that people keep in mind that we cannot enter the lake,” he argued.
AMSA alerts that some cyanobacteria strains can release dangerous toxins for human and animal health, representing a risk to contaminated contact or consumption.
Given this, they recommend not ingesting water or swimming in the Public Beach, Bahía de Oro, East side of the Lake and Michatoya River.
AMSA recommendations
- Do not use the lake water for human consumption or for the supply of pets or farm animals
- Avoid the practice of fishing activities
- Refrain from swimming or doing water sports on the lake
“The permanent monitoring of the body of water is essential to evaluate its status, to issue timely alerts and propose actions that contribute to their recovery, sustainable management and the protection of the health of the population and the biodiversity that inhabits the ecosystem,” said the expert.
According to AMSA, this phenomenon is associated with high temperatures, the low circulation of the wind and the accumulation of nutrients, which causes a favorable environment for the mass increase of these bacteria.