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Wayne Scott Pond algae reading spikes; trustees say weekly testing will begin
Summary
Trustees heard that Wayne Scott Pond cyanobacteria levels rose sharply this spring (one sample at about 668 micrograms per liter); the town will move to weekly testing and track species changes after a late‑April reading, trustees said.
Trustees were told this week that cyanobacteria (blue‑green algae) levels at Wayne Scott Pond have risen sharply this spring and that sampling will become weekly.
John, who presented the pond update, said testing that began in January 2026 showed a rapid rise by April: "it shot up since then as you can see to almost, you know, 668 parts per, micrograms per liter," he said. He added that testing schedules will increase to weekly so the town can monitor whether levels drop or continue climbing.
The presentation compared 2026 sampling to prior years: last year testing began later and concentrations stayed near 200–300 micrograms per liter through summer. John also said the species mix has shifted: "most of last year and the beginning of this year, the species that was identified was, I think it was called planktothrix," and the most recent samplings show a different species, a change he said he would follow up on with the lab.
The Chair framed the public‑health risk as concentrated: the symposium presenter mentioned a "low risk, high consequence" profile for some pathogens in coastal waters. Trustees discussed testing frequency and emphasized that the new weekly sampling schedule should provide clearer trends this season.
The trustees did not enact a formal restriction or treatment at the meeting; John said the additional lab analyses and weekly data will guide any next steps and he will report back in future meetings.
