By Lisa Pemberton

The Olympian

Blue-green algae has been discovered on Summit Lake, and Thurston County officials are warning residents and recreationalists to take extra precautions to avoid health risks from its potential toxins.

Thurston County Health Department officials took a sample on Thursday to test for toxins. They expect to have the results next week.

In the meantime, the county is advising people to:

— Avoid drinking water taken from the lake until laboratory tests show the water is safe. Even homes with disinfection and treatment systems should take precautions because most water treatment systems do not remove or deactivate algae toxin.

— Avoid contact with water containing algae.

— Keep pets and livestock away from areas where algae blooms are present.

— Catch and release fish that are caught during the algae bloom.

For more information on the advisory, call 360-867-2626.