Water At Oklahoma City's Laker Hefner Could Make People, Pets Sick

Swimming is banned at Lake Hefner, but people are still advised to be cautious around the water.

That's because there's blue-green algae in the water after the recent summer rainfall, according to Oklahoma City officials.

The thick algae around the water's edge is harmless, but the blue-green algae blooms produce toxins that are harmful to humans and pets. Despite the name, this algae is actually a type of bacteria that gives the water a color similar to pea soup.

People can still enjoy the lake on the upcoming July 4th weekend as long as they take precautions. The algae is most harmless to humans and pets who swim in it, but with swimming banned, people should still avoid touching the blooms or getting the algae on their skin. It's also best to avoid drinking the untreated lake water.

People paddle boarding, kayaking, or boating are at lower risk but are still advised to avoid areas with visible algae accumulation.

Fishing is still ok, but fish need to be well cleaned and the guts thrown out before eating.

Oklahoma City water is still safe to drink even though it pulls some of its water from Lake Hefner, KOCO reported. The water treatment process kills the algae before it flows into people's homes.