MOSES LAKE – The Grant County Health District released a water quality warning Saturday. There is a new bloom present in both north and middle Moses Lake. There are also confirmed unsafe toxins in south Moses Lake.  

Samples are being taken in the north and middle and results will be posted on the Grant County Health District website.  

According to GCHD, blue-green algae blooms can produce toxins that are harmful for people and pets. The department recommends staying out of the lake water in this area, not boating in areas of scum and cleaning wish well and discarding the guts. 

GCHD will be posting signs in these areas, which will stay in place until sampling shows toxin levels within safe limits.  

According to GCHD, the most common type of blooms looks like paint floating on water. They can be blue/green, red or brown. Not all algae blooms are toxic and there is no way to identify whether it is just by glancing at it.  

Instead, GCHD recommends testing the blooms with the stick test: if the algae can be picked up and it has a stringy look it is most likely a safe algae or an aquatic plant. If the algae cannot be picked up or swirls in the water, it is likely blue-green algae.  

If you notice something that you suspect is blue-green algae, the GCHD urges you to call 509-766-7960 and report the location.