Harmful Algae Blooms in Drinking Water

RBI developd a cyanotoxin monitoring plan and a water quality monitoring plan for a reservoir providing drinking water to staff and seasonal visitors to a public recreation area. These monitoring plans were used to characterize reservoir water quality and potential human health risks associated with consumption of contaminated drinking water. Subsequent monitoring determined that the reservoir water had high concentrations of dissoloved organic carbon and detectable concentrations of cyanotoxins in both raw and finished drinking water. Data gathered under the monitoring plan is being used by RBI to develop a reservoir water quality management program to improve water quality and minimize the formation of cyanobacteria blooms and associated cyanotoxins. RBI also supported the reservoir operator in communiticating this cyanotoxin event to state regulators.