Halifax Regional Municipality is warning residents to stay out of the water of a couple of Halifax’s most popular lakes.
Algae blooms have been found at both Lake Banook and Lake Micmac in Dartmouth. The city is asking people to avoid swimming in the lakes until further notice – and that goes for pets, too.
Birch Cove Beach, which is located on Lake Banook, is closed to swimming until further notice.
A few weeks ago, three dogs died after swimming in the St. John River where blue-green algae was present.
Blue-green algae occur in freshwater and can multiply rapidly in the summer.
Some of the blooms can produce toxins that can cause symptoms like skin irritation, sore red eyes and nausea. Children and people with compromised immune systems are at higher risk, the city said in a news release.
If you do come into contact with the water, you should wash it off with clean tap water as soon as possible. The city also warned people to avoid eating any fish from these lakes.
“Municipal staff have collected water samples to determine the presence and concentration of toxins in the water,” the city said in a news release. “Test results are expected by Thursday, Aug. 23 and will be made public once they have been finalized.”
To learn more about algae blooms, visit https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/energy-environment/harmful-algae-blooms.
