Look Before You Leap: Sign Up for Swim Advisories Before Summer’s Water Adventures  

Familes enjoying summer at Ramsey Creek Beach in Cornelius.

Charlotte area lakes will soon be busy with boaters and swimmers, as well as their pets. While residents are planning their freshwater adventures, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services encourages them to also stay mindful of water conditions.  

Swim advisories may be issued when a body of water is considered a public health threat. This could be due to a sewage spill, chemical spill, or harmful algal blooms.

Here are some simple ways to keep days on the water safe this summer:  

  • Know Before You Go: Sign up for Char-Meck Alerts by texting MECKNOSWIM to 888-777 and get swim advisories sent to your phone. You can also sign up for email alerts.   
  • Know What Algal Blooms Look Like: Algal blooms are often green in appearance, resembling pea soup or spilled green paint. They can often give off a foul smell. Unfortunately, you cannot tell if an algal bloom is toxic by looking at it. If you suspect the water contains a harmful algal bloom, keep yourself and pets away from the area. 
  • Know Who to Contact: Report pollution on the lakes to 311.  

When in doubt, stay out. For more information on the major water bodies in Mecklenburg County, visit this interactive story map.