A massive algae bloom in Lake Erie in October, 2011 is seen in this Landsat-5 satellite image. The green scum is mostly Microcystis, which produces a liver toxin and can cause skin irritation. (Image: NASA)
“Water at a Toledo, Ohio, treatment plant has tested positive for a dangerous toxin, and nearly 500,000 Ohio residents have been told not drink the tap water,” reports the Los Angeles Times. Ohio Gov. John Kasich declared a state of emergency today in three counties. Two water samples have tested positive for microcystin, a toxin possibly caused by an algae bloom in Lake Erie.