Blue Green Scum Investigated At Dillon Lake

The Ohio E-P-A is investigating reports of a blue-green scum forming on Dillon Lake.

Now, the Ohio Department of Health is urging people and pets visiting Dillon State Park to avoid contact with lake water and avoid ingesting lake water pending the State’s ongoing investigation.

"I would treat it as any non-chlorinated pool. You can swim in it, but there’s no chlorine. So, you’re going to deal with that situation, " says 94th District State Representative, Troy Balderson.

Water samples were collected from Dillon Lake and will be analyzed this week to determine if toxins are present. A full analysis of the samples should be available by next week. BSA Environmental Services Inc. in Beachwood has identified the organism in Dillon Lake as Anabaena, a cyanobacteria that can produce toxins.

"It appears in this situation, now i’m no chemist or scientist, but a lot of this is due to the heat, excessive heat, lack of movement, and obviously that’s something we’ve had a lot of, " says Balderson.

Balderson says he plans to take a tour of these water sources next week with other environmental officials, but he does want to re-enforce that Dillon State Park and Blue Rock State Park remain open to visitors for hiking, camping and other activities.