Blue-green algae: Alberta’s Wabamun Lake under health advisory [Video]

A health advisory has been issued for a popular lake west of Edmonton.

Alberta Health Services on Friday issued a blue-green algae advisory for Wabamun Lake.

The prominent summer and cottage destination is located 65 kilometres west of Edmonton on Highway 16.

• Download our app to get Edmonton alerts on your device

The AHS advisory asks residents near the lake and users of it to:

• avoid contact with the algae blooms;
• wash with tap water if contact with a bloom occurs;
• abstain and keep pets from swimming or wading in any parts of the lake where blue-green algae is visible;
• cease feeding pets trimmings of fish caught in the lake;
• refrain from using untreated water from the lake to drink or cook with. Boiling the water will not remove toxins produced by the algae (cynobacteria).

AHS says people who come into contact with blue-green algae, oringest it, may experience skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red …