Some people who live near a New Brunswick lake are worried a sign posted by the Department of Health is sending the wrong message.
A blue-green algae bloom that appeared in part of Harvey Lake last summer prompted Public Health officials to warn people against coming in contact with water in the affected area.
Sheryl Bartlett, the chair of the Harvey Lake Association, says the bloom disappeared last year after a few weeks and hasn’t returned.
However, a health advisory sign warning that the lake is subject to the toxic bloom remains in place, even though the water is clear at the moment.
Bartlett is worried people will only see the words ‘health advisory’ and walk away.
“We didn’t really realize it was going to be posted without a bloom,” says Bartlett. “They get really worried that they can’t use the lake at all during the summer.”
Residents who live along Harvey Lake say they frequently check and test the lake for blue-green algae blooms.
“You can’t go on and on and on forever with a scare like that,” says resident Ed Christie. “To have a health advisory sign put up without any consultation, I just don’t understand why that has happened.”
The Department of Health says it is procedure to post an advisory wherever there have been past reports of a bloom.
The sign warns that blue-green algae blooms can be unpredictable and that people should check the water quality before entering the lake.
Bartlett says the signs should do more to educate people about what the blooms look like to avoid confusion and undue fear.
“It could be mistaken for other things like pollen or sediment being stirred up from storms,” she says. “This could happen in any lake in the province and in the world, actually.”
Bartlett has contacted the Department of Health and is optimistic that they can come to a compromise.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Nick Moore
