City officials are urging visitors of Griffy Lake to take precautions due to what health officials call a toxic form of algae in the water. Environmental experts say the algae forms in warm, still waters that get a lot of sunlight. Swimming is already banned in Griffy Lake, but experts advise keeping a safe distance. They say if any part of the body does come in contact with the water, it should be cleaned thoroughly with soap and warm water.

Signs have been posted to keep pets on a leash and away from the water because the algae has potential to make pets very ill. This is a concern for IU sophomore Abby Gooldy who wasn’t aware of the algae last weekend and allowed her dog to drink the water at Griffy Lake. She says, “When we went home I saw on the news that there was blue algae in the water, which is deadly and very poisonous to dogs.” Abby says her dog is fine but she was very worried about her.

Experts say that eating fish from the water is still safe and and boating activities are still allowed as long as people take proper precautions.