After lab tests showed E. coli levels back up in the water at Crystal Lake, Mayor Marc Laredo announced on Friday that the lake was closed again, and this time for the rest of the season.
The official swimming season was set to end this weekend, anyway.
“No one—people or pets—should have contact with the water,” Laredo wrote in announcing the closure.
The city shut the lake down last week when E. coli levels were shown to be high. The lake was reopened on Monday, but then samples taken this week came back with high levels of E. coli again, so the city shut the lake down to swimming again.
Ingesting E. coli is very dangerous and can cause gastrointestinal issues as well as itchiness and cold and flu symptoms. Residents are urged to see a doctor if they swam in the lake and are now sick. Despite the increase in rain in recent weeks, eastern Massachusetts is in the midst of a lengthy drought that has dried up waterways and caused bacteria and algae to thrive.
This is the third time in seven weeks that Crystal Lake has been closed. In late June, test samples showed high levels of cyanobacterial algae, and the lake was closed for several days leading up to the July 4 weekend.