Waalre municipality closes pond “Het Gat van Waalre” for bathing. Its water contains algae.
People wanting to swim here, have to seek another location. Tests showed, “Het Gat van Waalre” contains “blauw-alg”.
The blue-green algae appear in sweet-water ponds and lakes during the summer, when the weather is hot and there is hardly any wind. The algae may appear in sweet-water lakes and ponds throughout the Netherlands.
Anybody coming into contact with the water, may suffer stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, fever. Especially when muscle weakness or difficulty breathing occurs, patients should be brought to a doctor straight away.
Pets drinking contaminated water may also suffer seizures, vomiting, or diarrhea. When pets show such signs, owners should take them to a vet.
The municipality of Waalre has placed warning signs around the lake. On coming across similar warning signs elsewhere in the Netherlands, make sure not to come into contact with the water.
Source: Studio 040
Translator: Kate
