Local officials said Friday they would redouble efforts to inform the public about an outbreak of potentially dangerous cyanobacteria in Sodus Bay that has closed two beaches and prompted warnings to avoid tainted water.

Leaders of Wayne County, the towns of Sodus and Huron and the village of Sodus Point said they may use posters, reverse 911 calls to bayside residents, mailings and even a door-to-door campaign to inform people to avoid tainted water.

“We’ve got to get the word out there,” said Laurie Crane, Huron town supervisor.

At a meeting Friday morning in Town Hall, the officials said word had to be spread quickly. This weekend, promising warm, sunny weather, will draw visitors to the popular bay — and Labor Day weekend, typically vacationers’ last big summer hurrah, follows.

The bay, about 40 miles from Rochester on Lake Ontario, has been beset for several weeks by outbreaks of the bacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae. Residents have complained they were learning of the problem mainly through word-of-mouth, and that government agencies had provided no information or advice.

Officials have said the cyanobacteria outbreak at Sodus Bay is the worst they’ve seen there. Such events, though, are not rare in upstate lakes. In the past, the bacteria have been noted in Conesus, Silver and Cayuga lakes, among numerous others.

Honeoye Lake belongs on the list, too, based on the situation there now. On Friday, material that’s identical in appearance and smell to Sodus Bay’s blue-green algae was evident in several small coves on the west side of the small Ontario County Finger Lake.

Dead fish were floating at several spots.

The algae seemed to be much more widespread along the west shore a few days ago, said Bud Dluzak, who recently moved there. “I didn’t even want to take my boat out in it,” he said. “Blue, green, white — it was all kind of colors.”

Northwest winds have pushed most of the material over to Honeoye’s east shore, Dluzak said.

State environmental officials said Friday they just heard of the apparent blue-green algae issue at Honeoye Friday morning and planned to check on it.

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