LYNNFIELD — The Department of Public Health notified the town Friday of a report of a potentially harmful algal bloom at Pillings Pond.
Per DPH’s recommendation, the town immediately issued a public health advisory. Human and pet contact with pond water is to be avoided. While swimming is never permitted at Pillings Pond, activities such as water skiing, jet skiing, and fishing are also to be avoided. Those who choose to continue with boating activities should use caution. Those coming into contact with water should rinse off.
The Historical Commission’s Pillings Pond Subcommittee Chair Kirk Mansfield said that, while algae bloom has not been a regular occurrence at Pillings Pond, it nonetheless is a serious condition and residents need to be cautious.
“This is an extreme case because we simply haven’t had enough rainfall to flush the pond out, but this is not an isolated instance. It’s happening everywhere and cities and towns are shutting down lakes and ponds,” he said. “Pillings Pond is a man-made pond created from a stream so we are battling every part of nature. It’s only about six feet deep at most. People think of it only in terms of it being recreational, but it is an extremely fragile ecosystem on so many levels and they need to use caution as advised.”
The advisory noted that Health Director Coral Hope and Planning and Conservation Director Emilie Cademartori have been monitoring the pond for bloom and that algae blooms are a seasonal issue at the pond. The combination of high temperatures and lack of rainfall has exacerbated the problem. The Conservation Commission has been treating the pond for this condition and the next treatment is scheduled for this week.
Mansfield said he remembers a similar situation that happened in 2006 when he learned firsthand how dangerous the algae is.
“My dog was in the pond and swallowed some water. Within one hour I had her in the emergency room,” said Mansfield. “She was in there for a week, that’s how toxic the water is in these conditions. People need to know they cannot use the pond recklessly, especially right now.”
Public reaction to the advisory notice as posted on the Pillings Pond Lynnfield MA Facebook page was mixed.
“It’s getting worse by the day, I’ve never seen the pond this bad,” said Norm Windsor.
While Antonio Sordillo agreed with Winsor, saying “it’s ugly,” Julia Hallenborg said she has “seen it worse than it is now, if you can imagine. I hope this town wakes up and comes up with a plan to do something.”
James Mamos said he hopes the town puts up signs as there are “people fishing every day at Rotary Park and signs should be put up at (the) ramp, signs should be put up when they treat the pond, it’s a health advisory.”
Mansfield said algae isn’t the only problem he feels needs to be addressed at Pillings Pond. He said he will be asking the town to install “no wake” signage to address recent incidents of jet skiers traveling “way too fast,” which Mansfield said puts Bellevue Island at risk.
“There are still four or five original cottages on the island and erosion is a huge problem for this island, which only gets worse when boaters and jet skiers go too fast and create these large wakes,” said Mansfield. “Again, people do not understand how fragile this area is.”
