Fecal bacteria levels lead to water quality advisory at Chestermere Lake
Avoid swimming or wading at Cove Beach, Alberta Health Services says
Part of Chestermere Lake is under a water quality advisory due to "elevated levels of fecal bacteria currently present in the water," Alberta Health Services (AHS) said in a release on Friday.
Chestermere Lake is a reservoir in a recreation area about 20 kilometeres east of Calgary. People should avoid swimming or wading in and around Cove Beach, where increased fecal bacteria levels were detected through testing, the AHS said.
Those levels of fecal bacteria mean ingesting water from that area could lead to gastrointestinal illness, while water contact could result in skin, ear and eye infections, the agency said.
Cove Beach is the only area affected by the advisory. Chestermere Lake's other beaches are unaffected, including Anniversary Park and Sunset Park.
The advisory will remain in effect as AHS continues to monitor the water at Cove Beach.
AHS said drinking or cooking with untreated water from any lake or reservoir could result in ingestion of water-borne organisms, which could then lead to vomiting or diarrhea.