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.