Water in Stuart showing improvement but still filled with toxic algae

In Stuart, the water on the Caloosahatchee river looks better than it did before when it was rid with blue green algae.

But residents say they don’t go in it still, because the toxin levels are just as bad as they ever were.

“If i could give you any type of information it would be, please don’t mess with this. We learned in 2016 the hard way,” said Mary Radabaugh, manager at Central Marine.

MORE: http://winknews.com/2016/06/30/corps-to-decrease-water-flows-from-lake-okeechobee/

Mary over sees a marina right on the St. Lucie River, and has been collecting pictures for years of the toxin blue green algae called cyanobacteria the community has had to deal with.

‘Right now ours isn’t green and blue and the horrible views that you see but it’s just as gross, just as toxic,” said Radabaugh.

She says the water is worse now than it was in 2016, and since then her business has held steady, but this year she says fewer tourist are coming in.

“It is unsafe. It was not something we should’ve done then but there was not enough studies to warn the people not to do it. We do have studies now that tell us this is not safe for human health,” Radabaugh said.

Following an air test that showed concerning levels of microsystins, doctors say that bacteria could lead to severe health problems.