From the US EPA:
The EPA has posted a Cyanotoxins Preparedness and Response Toolkit (CPRT) online. The CPRT will help EPA’s state and tribal partners prepare for potential harmful algal blooms in freshwater bodies and respond to protect public health. Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms (CyanoHABs) can cause fouling of beaches and shorelines, economic and aesthetic losses, taste and odor problems in drinking water, and direct risks to human, fish, and animal health. The CPRT includes:
- A template to develop Cyanobacteria/Cyanotoxins Management Plan, including worksheets and checklists to assist before and during a bloom event.
- Frequently Asked Questions on cyanoHABs, drinking water health advisories, and EPA’s Recommended Recreational Water Quality Criteria or Swimming Advisories for Microcystins and Cylindrospermopsin.
- Links to key tools relevant to the development of management plans and effective communication during cyanotoxin events.
- A cyanoHABs incident response questionnaire to use when a cyanotoxins event is suspected or confirmed.
- A post-incident technical support questionnaire to evaluate the effectiveness of the response.
The resources in the toolkit can be completed electronically, downloaded, and shared. The CPRT does not cover long-term management actions or the control and mitigation of cyanoHABs.
To learn more about cyanoHABs, visit EPA’s website at: www.epa.gov/cyanohabs.
cyanotoxins-preparedeness-response-toolkit-2021
