Alberta Health Services has issued a blue-green algae advisory for a lake located southwest of Edmonton.
Officials said a blue-green algae bloom had been identified in parts of Wizard Lake, located southwest of Edmonton.
As a result, residents living near the lake and visitors to the lake were advised to take the following precautions:
- Avoid contact with the algae blooms, and if contact is made – to wash with tap water right away
- Not swim or wade, or allow pets to swim or wade, anywhere a bloom is visible
- Not feed fish, or fish trimmings from this lake to pets
- Consider limiting consumption of fish and fish trimmings from the lake, as fish may store toxins in their liver
In addition, visitors to the lake and residents are reminded to not drink water, or cook with untreated water from any recreational body of water, including Wizard Lake. Boiling the water will not remove toxins produced by blue-green algae.
An alternate water source should be provided for pets and livestock while the advisory is in effect.
Algae is visible when weather conditions are calm, and looks like scum, grass clippings, fuzz or globs on the surface of the water – it can be blue-green, greenish-brown, brown, and/or pinkish-red, and can smell musty or grassy.
Anyone who comes in contact with visible algae or who drink water containing algae may notice skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea and vomiting and/or diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear within one to three hours, and resolve within one to two days.
If you suspect an issue related to blue-green algae, or for more details, call Health Link at 811.
