AHS issues warning for Hastings Lake due to blue-green algae

Hastings Lake as seen from Google Street View in July 2012.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) says cyanobacteria, known as blue-green algae, has been found in Hastings Lake in Strathcona County.

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The naturally occurring bacteria can look like scum, grass clippings, fuzz, or globs on the surface of water, and often smells musty or grassy.

It can appear blue-green, a greenish-brown, brown, and/or a pinkish-red.

Contact or the ingestion of water containing blue-green algae can cause skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

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AHS said anyone using Hastings Lake should avoid any areas where the bacteria is present. Pets should be kept out of water and should not be fed fish trimmings from the lake.

People should also consider limiting the amount of whole fish or fish trimmings from any body of water where the bacteria is present.

Even while the warning is in place, AHS said Hastings Lake is safe to use where there are no blue-green algae blooms.

"As always, visitors and residents are reminded to never drink or cook with untreated water directly from any recreational body of water, including Hastings Lake, at any time," AHS said in a news release.

"Boiling of this water will not remove the toxins produced by cyanobacteria."

Anyone with suspected problems related to cyanobacteria can call Health Link at 811 for more information.

Hastings Lake is around 47 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.