Blue-Green Algae Toxins Found in Cataraqui River

Published on: 2010/08/25 - in News

Less than two weeks after blue-green algae was discovered in the Cataraqui River, The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) has advised the KFL&A Public Health that test results now reveal the presence of toxins associated with the algae.

Ed Gardner, Environmental Health Manager with the KFL&A Public Health, said those results are not unexpected and recommend that using or drinking this water should be avoided.

The toxins highest concentrations are usually found in blooms and scum near to the shoreline and have the greatest risk to people and pets.

The Ministry also confirmed another algae bloom in the waters near Joyceville.

Blue-green algae typically grow in warm, shallow, undisturbed water that receives plenty of sunlight and is rich in phosphorus and nitrogen; both of which can be found in animal and human waste and fertilizers.

KFL&A Public Health recommend people using lakes and rivers to be on the lookout for algae blooms, which can be shades of blue, blue-green, yellow, brown, or red.

If blooms are discovered, the Health Unit suggests:

• Avoid using the lake water for drinking, bathing or showering, and do not allow children, pets or livestock to drink or swim in the lake water.
• If skin contact does occur, wash with soap and water or rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove algae.
• Residents should not boil the water because boiling the water may release more toxins into the water.
• Residents should avoid cooking with the water because food may absorb toxins from the water during cooking.
• Residents should not eat the liver, kidneys or other organs of fish caught in the water.
• Do not treat the water with a disinfectant like bleach. This may break open algae cells and release toxins into the water.
• Residents should not rely on water jug filtration systems as they do not protect against the toxins.

On lakes and rivers where blue-green algae blooms are present, people using surface water for their private drinking supply should consider another, safer source of water.

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Algae Bloom photo courtesy Mark Sadowski

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