Test results on Lake Massawippi water expected before weekend

Residents in three towns around Lake Massawippi, in Quebec's Eastern Townships,could find out assoon as Wednesday night whether their drinking water is safe.

A battery of tests run on lake water samples will determine whether dangerously high levels of cyanobacteria detected five days ago have dropped enough to make the water safe for human and animal consumption.

Thousands of people in the communities of Hatley Township, North Hatley, and Waterville draw their drinking water from the lake, which was declared a no-go zone by public officials on Sept. 22.

Health officials imposed a stringent ban on the water because of the presence of the bacteria, which is derived from blue-green algae. Officials warned people in the area not to touch, let alone drink, the water from Lake Massawippi because of its toxicity.

The blanket ban, which goes beyond a boil-water advisory, is unprecedented in the area, said Dr. Reno Proulx, a consulting physician with the public health agency in the Eastern Townships. That's because the cyanobacteria does not respond to regular prophylactic measures.

"Boiling [the] water will not eliminate toxins," and neither will the water-treatment system, Proulx said.

Blue-green algae toxic to humans

The blue-green algae is toxic. It irritates skin and membranes after any kind of contact, and will cause gastroenteritis, muscle tremors and breathing problems if ingested.

"Do not use the water for showering, bathing, preparing or cooking food. Water can be used for doing laundry, but skin contact with the water should be avoided," Proulx said.

People are also advised to avoid giving their pets any tap water to drink, and to refrain from watering their gardens, to minimize any human contact with the contaminated water.

Municipal authorities are providing free drinking water to residents during the ban. People can pick up their supply at North Hatley's city hall on weekdays and weekends from noon to 4 p.m. ET.

Conditions favour algae's growth

The cyanobacteria has spread through the lake since the end of the summer, according to tests conducted by Quebec's Ministry of Sustainable Development and the Environment.

"The blue-algae bacteria is present in high amounts in the water, but that's because conditions have favoured their growth," confirmed mile Grieco, the regional director of the Environment Control Centre in the Eastern Townships.

The culprit is an increase in phosphorus particles in the lake water, which nurture the bacteria's growth. Phosphorus seeps into the water table from farming runoff, industrial plant site leaching and human activity on the lake, Grieco said.

Warm temperatures and pH levels can also affect the bacteria's growth.

Lake Massawippi is not the first lake to be invaded by the blue-green algae, though it is the first drinking water source in the area to be affected by the bacteria. About 10 bodies of water have been plagued by algae, including Lake Memphremagog, Lake Magog and the Magog River.

The bacteria will remain in the water at least two or three weeks, "as long as it takes for the [bacteria] cells to die and release the toxins, which will disintegrate," explained Grieco.

Ban affects local school

Students in North Hatley have been forced to stay homeMonday and Tuesday, because of the risk of contaminationfromschool water fountains and bathroom taps.

But they were back in class Wednesday, after schools in neighbouring communities opened their doors to them. Lennoxville Elementary School has taken ina group of students from North Hatley Elementary, who had their desks and possessions shipped over.

"When people are in trouble, you need to help out," said Patricia Morgensen, the principal at Lennoxville Elementary. "That's what we could do to help out."

Students are adapting well to the upheaval, said Nicole Grgoire, a teacher at North Hatley Elementary.

"They missed two days of school, and they had time to think about it. So they were saying, 'I was a little bit nervous. But we had so much fun,' " said Grgoire, who has taught at the school for 25 years.

Ban hurts businesses

The ban on Lake Massawippi water has also left a mark on businesses in the area that rely heavily on tourists drawn to the region, which is famed for its lush greenery, picturesque shorelines and spectacular autumn colours.

The fall foliage season is well underway, but bookings have slowed to a standstill since news of the water ban spread across the country, said some local business owners.

"All I can say is that even this morning, I had a cancellation, said Ren Doucet, the owner of Villa Massawippi, a bed and breakfast located on the shores of the lake. "Most of my colleagues in the hotel business have the same situation. It is disastrous," he said Wednesday.

The cyanobacteria problem is aggravating what has already proven to be a below-average tourist season, said Patrick Lavoie, a pub owner in the area.

"You are able to realize it just by walking on the street. There's nobody on the street. The town's spirit is still good. But I think that everybody is still suffering from that at different levels," said Lavoie, who owns the Pilsen Pub, on the Massawippi lake shore.

The pub is using hundreds of bottles of filtered water every day because of the ban, Lavoie said.