North Stafford, Va. — The harmful algal blooms that have prompted warnings to residents along Aquia Creek could be around for a while.
If humans or pets are exposed to the blooms and creek water is ingested, people can experience abdominal pain, jaundice, malaise, and pets can die. The blue-green algae blooms are common in waters in the Potomac Communities and can also be found in the Potomac River and Neabsco Creek.
But when it comes to flushing them out of the waters or killing them, it’s nearly impossible.
“This kind of bloom we see in the waters every summer, when the waters are ripe for it,” said Virginia Department of Health spokesman Thomas Faha. “The bloom growth is similar to a mold on a piece of bread: You can see a tiny bit of mold appear on a piece of bread, and 24 hours later the whole piece of bread is covered.”
Officials say they will keep monitoring water samples collected from the creek to determine the amount of harmful blooms in the water.
It will be up to the water current to flush out the blooms from the creek.
“We’ll have to wait it out because there is no practical way to remove or kill the blooms in open water. If it were a pond, then it would be a different story,” said
If residents or animals come in contact with the creek water, as they would poison ivy, they’re encouraged to wash off the water as soon as possible, added Faha.
