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Officials lift advisory against using Utah Lake water for food and livestock irrigation

Posted at 4:47 PM, Jul 22, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-22 18:48:54-04

UTAH COUNTY, Utah — The latest samples from Utah Lake revealed lower levels of toxins, and as such the advisory against using the water to irrigate food and livestock was lifted Friday.

According to a press release from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, there is no reason to believe fruits and vegetables irrigated with water from Utah Lake are unsafe for consumption.

The advisory was put in place earlier this month after an algal bloom appeared in the lake and toxins were detected. Several Utahns who visited the lake reported feeling ill afterward, and the Utah Poison Control Center fielded hundreds of calls.

While the advisory has been lifted, UDAF still encourages Utahns to thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables before consuming them. Utah Lake remains closed due to the algal bloom.

“We are cautiously optimistic that continued water test results will bring good news for our growers and consumers,” stated LuAnn Adams, Utah Commissioner of Agriculture and Food. “We are grateful to DEQ for providing sound science-based data to help clarify this issue.”

The closure of the Jordan River has been lifted for areas of the river in Utah County.

The press release states lower levels of cyanotoxins were recorded, and as such it is safe for livestock owners to return to normal watering practices for the Jordan River and irrigation canals associated with it in Salt Lake County. Livestock should not drink directly from Utah Lake at this time.