The Rhode Island Departments of Health and Environmental Management are advising residents avoid bodies of water where blue-green algae blooms have been found.
The algae have been found in St. Mary’s Pond in Portsmouth and multiple bodies of water in Roger Williams Park, including Elm Lake, Roosevelt Lake and the Japanese Gardens.
Toxic to both humans and animals, state officials say it’s best to avoid drinking or swimming in contaminated waters. Officials say a sign of the toxin is a layer of algae that looks like thick pea soup.
