Warning issued for water at Snyder's Flats after suspected blue-green algae bloom spotted - Action News
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Kitchener-Waterloo

Warning issued for water at Snyder's Flats after suspected blue-green algae bloom spotted

The Grand River Conservation Authority says Snyder's Flats in Bloomindale is the lastest local body of water where it's believed blue-green algae has been spotted. People are being warned to stay away from the algae and not eat fish from the water.

Some varieties of blue-green algae can produce toxins harmful to both people and pets, GRCA says

A photo of algal bloom in Lake Erie.
This photo shows an algal bloom in Lake Erie near Toledo, Ohio, in Aug. 2014. The Grand River Conservation Authority says a fourth local body of water has suspected blue-green algae. The list is now: Belwood Lake, Conestogo Lake, Guelph Lake and Snyder's Flats. (Haraz N. Ghanbari/Associated Press)

The Grand River Conservation Authority says suspected blue-green algae has been seen at Snyder's Flats in Bloomingdale, Ont.

It's the fourth local body of water that the conservation authority has issued a warning for in the past two weeks.

The authority previously warned blue-green algae has been seen at Belwood Lakein August, then on Sept. 13 said it was also spotted atConestogo Lake and Guelph Lake.

"Some varieties of blue-green algae can produce toxins that are harmful to both people and pets," the GRCA said in a release Tuesday.

People should keep themselves, children and pets away from the algae and should not use the water for drinking. As well, the GRCA says people should not eat fish from Snyder's Flats.

Signage has been posted notifying the public of the conditions and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and public health have been informed.

Cameron Irvine, supervisor of water quality atthe GRCA, told CBC News earlier this month that the bloomstypically occur in the late summer orearly fall and have been known to occur on an annual basis at the three reservoirs.

Irvine said the blooms "tend to look like a kind of thick pea soup or spilled paint on the surface of the water [and] the smell can vary. It can smell like fresh cut grass or rotting garbage."

with files from Josette Lafleur