The Ministry of the Environment says recent testing of water samples from Lake Rosalind between Walkerton and Hanover is positive for Blue-Green Algae which can produce toxins and have negative health effects.
In light of this information, the Grey-Bruce Health Unit is advising any and all residents who rely on the water from Lake Rosalind for cooking, washing, bathing or drinking to use an alternate source of water for the time being.
"Blue-Green algae, when it blooms in this way, can cause a health risk; particularly if you use it as a drinking water source and it doesn't have a sort of industrial filtration," says Andrew Barton, public health manager for the Grey-Bruce Health Unit.
Barton adds there also secondary possibilities of health risks in terms of swimming or bathing in water affected by green-blue algae blooms.
It's not known as of yet the exact concentration levels in the water; both the Ministry of the Environment and the Grey-Bruce Health Unit are working closely together to monitor the water in both Lake Rosalind and connecting Marl Lake.
In the meantime, health officials are asking residents to take the necessary precautions until those levels can be determined.
"So what we're doing now is, for anyone that uses the lake(s) for their drinking water, we're recommending that they use an alternative water supply until we know a little bit more about what the risk is," adds Barton.
You can contact Public Health with any questions at 1-800-263-3456.
If any further algae blooms are noted in the water, contact the Ministry of the Environment & Climate Change Spills Action Centre at 1-800-268-6060.
