Blue-green algae advisory issued for Alix Lake
Blue-green algae has been found in Alix Lake and prompted an advisory from Alberta Health Services.
AHS issued the advisory on Monday, telling visitors and residents to the lake that they should avoid all contact with blooms, avoid swimming or wading where blooms are visible and avoid giving fish from the lake to pets.
“Visitors and residents are reminded to never drink or cook with untreated water directly from any recreational body of water, including Alix Lake, at any time. Boiling of this water will not remove the toxins produced by cyanobacteria,” AHS said in a release.
An alternate source of drinking water should also be provided for pets and livestock, while this advisory is active.”
AHS said that waters of Alix Lake in which the cyanobacterial bloom is not visible can still be used for recreational purposes, even while this Health Advisory is in place.
Cyanobacteria is naturally occurring, and often becomes visible when weather conditions are calm. Appearing like scum, grass clippings, fuzz, or globs on the surface of water, cyanobacteria can be blue-green, greenish-brown, brown, and/or pinkish-red, and often smell musty or grassy.
People who come in contact with visible cyanobacteria or who ingest water containing cyanobacteria may experience skin irritation, rash, sore throat and sore red eyes.
