AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Thursday, a city memo from several city of Austin departments strongly suggested that Mayor Kirk Watson and the city council should continue the recreational ban on swimming in Lady Bird Lake.

The memo said the latest assessment of recreational swimming in Lady Bird Lake was in response to recent community inquiries.

The memo pointed out that despite the current long-standing ban, staff continue to observe significant and ongoing risks to humans and pets, including drownings.

Since 2019, six dogs have died, with their deaths being attributed to toxins from unpredictable blue-green algae proliferation. The ingestion of algae also represents a health hazard for humans, according to the city.

"Staff’s preliminary analysis indicates that providing reasonable safety meas

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