Potentially toxic algae discovered in Saskatoon pond
The City of Saskatoon has issued a warning to residents about the presence of toxic cyanobacteria in Briarwood Pond.
The bacterial bloom — commonly known as blue-green algae — has turned much of the pond green and the smell of algae hangs in the air, causing concern among locals.
Sarah Mantyka, director of the city’s water and wastewater operations, said they’re making sure Briarwood residents are aware of the risks.
"Blue-green algae is a type of algae that can have toxic type blooms with it, and so we wanted to make sure that residents are aware, and we're testing to ensure that they take proper safety measures," said Mantyka.
Warning signs outside Briarwood pond in Saskatoon. (Noah Rishaug / CTV News)
Dog walkers in the area were among the first to notice the problem. Patricia Niekamp, a regular visitor to the pond, described the unpleasant odor.
"The smell, it's terrible, and also I think from that building over there there's a rank smell coming from there too, it's pretty gross. We try to go that way. We're a bit downwind but it gets better as we move along," Niekamp said.
In response to the potentially toxic bloom, the city has put up signs around Briarwood Pond warning of the algae and has prohibited all recreational water activities. Ongoing testing of the lake will determine the toxicity levels before any treatment measures are decided.
"Currently while we're awaiting the test results to confirm if we're dealing with a toxic level of the green algae, we are exploring a number of different treatment options. There are a couple of options available to us; we just haven't determined which option we're going to go with at this point," Mantyka said.
For now, residents are advised to avoid contact with the water and to keep their pets from drinking or swimming in the pond. Dog owners are encouraged to take their pets to the vet if they show any symptoms after exposure to the water.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bloc Quebecois ready to extract gains for Quebec in exchange for supporting Liberals
The Bloc Québécois says its ready to wheel and deal with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's party for support during confidence votes now that the Liberal government's confidence and supply agreement with the NDP has ended.
Over 200 firearms seized in Waterloo weapons investigation
According to police, during a traffic stop officers noticed firearms and ammunition inside the vehicle.
'It's morally wrong': A rural Alberta town reacts to homeless shelter closure
At the end of a side street in Slave Lake, Alta., Lynn Bowes looks at a grey job-site trailer with boarded-up windows and doors that once operated as her town's only homeless shelter.
Trump threatens to jail adversaries in escalating rhetoric ahead of pivotal debate
With just days to go before his first and likely only debate against U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, former U.S. president Donald Trump posted a warning on his social media site threatening to jail those “involved in unscrupulous behavior” this election, which he said would be under intense scrutiny.
Timeline: The rise and fall of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's political fortunes
In the wake of the NDP withdrawing its automatic support of the minority Liberal government, here is a timeline of key events charting the arc of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's fortunes in federal politics.
Military surplus store in Calgary, destination of celebrity shoppers, closing doors
Cher, Anthony Hopkins, Heath Ledger, Alec Baldwin and Tom Hardy are just a few of the celebrities John Cumming met while growing up in his family's military surplus store.
Jannik Sinner beats Taylor Fritz in U.S. Open men's final, weeks after failed doping test
Jannik Sinner beat Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 with a relentless baseline game to win the U.S. Open men’s championship on Sunday, less than three weeks after being exonerated in a doping case.
The controversial plan to turn a desert green
Ties van der Hoeven's ambitions are nothing if not grand. The Dutch engineer wants to transform a huge stretch of inhospitable desert into green, fertile land teeming with wildlife.
Mother of Georgia shooting suspect called school to warn of emergency, aunt says
The mother of the 14-year-old who has been charged with murder over the fatal shooting of four people at his Georgia high school called the school before the killings, warning staff of an 'extreme emergency' involving her son, a relative said.