The signs--originally due in early 2005--will now be posted in May 2005, said Tamara Clark-Shear, the parks and recreation department spokeswoman.

The need for signs arose after the San Francisco Bay Water Quality Board released a report in October detailing the high levels of pollutants in local reservoirs. The study showed the Stevens Creek Reservoir had the highest levels of mercury of 10 Bay Area reservoirs surveyed. The Stevens Creek Reservoir also had high levels of PCBs, a pesticide once used in farming but banned since 1977.

Soon after the report's release, warning signs in English were posted at the Stevens Creek Reservoir. Given the popularity of the reservoir with Asians and Latinos from throughout Santa Clara County, the parks and recreation department also decided to post signs in Vietnamese and Spanish. However, according to Clark-Shear, the signs' arrival has been delayed until May because of the need for translation. In the meantime, she said, park rangers will make spot visits to hand out multilingual fliers.

Like the signs already in place in English, the new ones will warn of potential hazards from eating contaminated fish.

According to the Santa Clara County Health Department, long-term exposure to the toxins through eating fish can affect the nervous and immune systems and increase the risk of cancer. Children and women of child-bearing age are particularly vulnerable.

The toxins come from air pollution, the makeup of the soil and chemicals from agriculture and industry. Storm waters then wash the pollutants into the reservoir.

According to the county health department, drinking water resources from Stevens Creek are not affected.

On a recent weekday afternoon, an angler named Mike who was fishing off of a boat ramp said he was not concerned even after reading of the hazards. He pulled up three fish he had caught and tied to a nearby dock. "That's dinner," he said puffing on a cigarette, "and I am not worried about them causing any problems."