The August long weekend is here, which means local residents could be taking advantage of BC lakes by swimming or boating.
Northern Health however is warning about the everyday occurrence of blue-green algae forming in certain sections of the water.
Spokesperson Dale Chen says both people and pets should avoid swimming in any area where the living plant-like organism is present.
“If the bloom is somewhere else in the lake, it should be safe to swim in, but if you are experiencing irritation, our recommendation is to remove yourself from the water and to wash yourself with clean water, and dry off.”
Chen adds all lakes across the province grow a certain amount of algae every year, which is completely normal.
“With the warming weather, they can grow to very large numbers. That’s when they form blooms and they become visible, otherwise they are microscopic organisms that are naturally present in all of our lakes.”
He says if the irritation becomes worse, the public should follow-up with a local environmental health officer.
Northern Health also advises everyone to not drink the water if it’s a primary resource, as well as not to boil the water as it won’t get rid of all the chemicals and bacteria.
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