How is water quality affected in cities?
Water quality in Boston is often affected in the summer by cyanobacteria blooms. This bacteria is aquatic and photosynthetic (lives in water), and usually grown in colonies large enough to see. Also called blue-green algae, these blooms can produce toxins harmful to people and animals. The most frequent and serious health effects are caused by drinking water containing the toxins (cyanobacteria), or by ingestion during recreational water contact. (SOURCE: World Health Organization)