Pelee Island water not safe to drink

Residents should only drink bottled water due to toxic algae

8/26/2014

Residents of Canada‘‍s Pelee Island have been warned to drink only bottled water and to stay away from the beaches as toxic Lake Erie algae has reached its shores.

The The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit issued an alert this afternoon, warning residents that the blue-green algae bloom is affecting the water quality along the shoreline of the island. The microcystin that contaminated Toledo’‍s water system, rendering the water undrinkable from Aug.2-4, now is affecting private well water systems in Pelee Island, the authorities said.

The health officials also warned residents not to bathe in or cook with the contaminated water and not to eat fish that has been caught in the lake. Authorities closed Pelee Island beaches and advised residents and visitors not to go swimming.