Halifax blue green algae

The municipality wants to help Haligonians identify the potentially harmful bacteria and learn about the risks for their pets and children.

Blue-green algae occurs in all parts of Nova Scotia and once it appears in a body of water, it will bloom again when the conditions are right. Nova Scotia is likely to see more blooms with increasing climate change and incidences of extreme heat and precipitation. Nova Scotia's Department of Environment and Climate Change posts a list of potential blue-green algae blooms online and shares reports on social media. The province's website on blue-green algae says it can appear turquoise, green, brown, red, white or a mix of these colours. It says blooms can "look like fine grass clippings in the water, spilled paint or pea soup," and can sometimes appear as a thick scum on the surface.

Halifax blue green algae

Watch for blue-green algae from May to October. Blue-green algae also called cyanobacteria occurs naturally in surface waters like lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. The toxins in some algae can make people sick and can be fatal for pets if ingested. Blue-green algae are microscopic, plant-like organisms that occur naturally in ponds, rivers, lakes and streams. Blue-green algae develops when a period of hot, dry weather is followed by heavy rainfall. Increased amounts of nutrients like nutrients from fertilizers, septic systems and paved surfaces near the water can also help blue-green algae grow. Algae blooms come in many shapes and sizes, and harmful blooms can look very similar to harmless blooms. It can be blue-green, turquoise, green, brown, red, white or mixes of these colours. If you think you see blue-green algae, you should treat it as potentially toxic. Report it to your local Department of Environment and Climate Change office or call The Department of Environment and Climate Change publishes a list of potential blue-green algae bloom sightings and also shares reports on social media. Only sightings reported to the department are included on the list. If the potential blue-green algae is in public drinking water supplies, an inspector from the Department of Environment and Climate Change visually confirms the presence of blue-green algae and works directly with the water supply owner. Once a blue-green algae bloom occurs, it can reoccur or move to different locations in that body of water. Reports of blue-green algae are for the whole season May to October.

The provincial government has a list of lakes with blue green algae blooms on its website.

We have a comprehensive blue-green algae cyanobacteria monitoring program in place so we know the drinking water we provide to customers is safe. Blue-green algae are microscopic organisms found naturally in all types of water. These single-celled organisms live in fresh, brackish, and marine water. These organisms use sunlight to make their own food. Blue-green algae cyanobacteria blooms form when blue-green algae, which are normally found in water, start to multiply very quickly. Blooms can form in warm, slow-moving waters that are rich in nutrients. Blue-green algae blooms need nutrients to survive.

A water resources specialist on HRM's environment and climate change team says the cyanobacteria are naturally occurring in Nova Scotia's lakes and rivers, but officials have seen an increase in the number of blooms in recent years. People are being encouraged to avoid swimming in and taking their pets near the lake until further notice. Montgomery said staff are constantly monitoring the water quality at all of HRM's 18 supervised beaches throughout July and August, so if a beach is open, she's confident the water is safe for swimming. If something looks off, the first step is for the lifeguards to snap a photo and send it to HRM's environment and climate change team. When it comes to water quality outside of HRM's 18 supervised beaches, Montgomery said that's provincial jurisdiction, but with more than 1, lakes in HRM alone, not all of them can be constantly monitored. That's why Nova Scotians are being encouraged to learn how to identify blue green algae themselves and be on the lookout for them as they explore the province this summer. Montgomery said the province is relying on members of the public to notify them of potential blooms — which form on and below the water's surface — and mats — which grow on the bottom of rivers and lakes or attached to structures and plants in the water — by calling The province maintains a list of potential blue-green algae blooms online. Despite the name, according to Nova Scotia's Department of Environment and Climate Change, the algae can be a variety of colours, including turquoise, green, brown, red, white or mixes of those colours.

Halifax blue green algae

Notification: Municipal statement regarding Grand Parade and ongoing support to those experiencing homelessness. Over the past several weeks, the municipality has been taking a number of steps to provide supports to those experiencing homelessness in our region, and particularly to those sleeping rough in de-designated locations. Harmful Algal Blooms may look like green dots on the surface of the water. Photo Credit: Department of Environmental Conservation. New York State.

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Bathing or showering in contaminated water should be avoided, as skin contact with the toxins can lead to skin irritation and rashes. If a bloom develops in a drinking water source, it will be monitored closely to ensure the safety of our drinking water. Knowing where your water comes from is important in the event of a blue-green algae alert. Once a blue-green algae bloom occurs, it can reoccur or move to different locations in that body of water. Click to scroll back to top of the page Back to top. Find out how you can still connect with us. Also known as cyanobacteria, algae can look like grass clippings floating around the water, or even spilled paint. The Department of Environment and Climate Change publishes a list of potential blue-green algae bloom sightings and also shares reports on social media. The latest health and medical news emailed to you every Sunday. Learn more here. The animal hospital said Thursday that while the death occurred last month, it only received the information from Nova Scotia Agriculture on Wednesday. We know from studying natural low nutrient lakes in NS that these algal and cyanobacteria blooms are relatively rare without a huge influx of nutrients or very specific conditions of sustained high temperatures with little mixing of the water column. Most do not produce toxins that are harmful to people or animals.

The municipality wants to help Haligonians identify the potentially harmful bacteria and learn about the risks for their pets and children.

Elizabeth Kennedy, director of Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change water programs, says algae can have serious health effects. Blue-green algae can be floating on the surface or grow along the bottom of a waterbody in what is called a mat. If you think you see blue-green algae, you should treat it as potentially toxic. I think what needs to be emphasized is that these nutrient inputs are NOT a default that comes along with development. It says blooms can "look like fine grass clippings in the water, spilled paint or pea soup," and can sometimes appear as a thick scum on the surface. Halifax Water is committed to providing safe drinking water to our customers. You must be logged in to post a comment. These are benthic algae mats. Nova Scotia is likely to see more blooms with increasing climate change and incidences of extreme heat and precipitation. Blue-green algae toxins can reach high levels in blooms, which can be harmful to the health of humans and animals. Some types of blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, form toxin-producing blooms.