Austin's scenic waters, a central part of the city’s outdoor life, are facing a toxic threat with Lady Bird Lake, Lake Austin, and Lake Travis. The utility company said it continues to test raw source water from Lakes Austin and Travis, as well as treated drinking water from its Ullrich, Davis, and Handcox treatment plants, for cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins, according to KVUE.
Tests by Austin Water reveal that the drinking water remains safe, with no cyanotoxins detected above EPA's health advisory levels since the company began their screening in 2015, confirmed in a statement from the utility service, as per KVUE.
Since 2019, toxic blue-green algae in Lady Bird Lake and other local bodies of water have led to several dog fatalities. Cyanobacteria in algal blooms can produce harmful toxins, posing risks to both animals and humans, reported by KVUE.
Austin Water also routinely monitors for cyanotoxins even when there is no indication of the cyanobacteria that produce these toxins. Current tests are non-detect for cyanotoxins in raw source water or treated drinking water, Austin Water said, as stated in KVUE.
