Article content

Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment has confirmed that specimens collected Monday from a bay in Upper Rideau Lake north of Kingston, Ont., are blue-green algae and that toxins are present.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Ontario cottagers warned not to drink water after toxic blue-green algae found in Upper Rideau Lake Back to video

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit announced the laboratory findings from the initial samples from McNally’s Bay in a release Wednesday.

“Additional samples are being taken around the area by the Ministry of the Environment to provide a clearer picture of the risk,” it added.

The health unit said McNally’s Bay cottagers and residents who draw drinking water from the lake should use an alternative source, as boiling does not remove the toxins. As well, pets and livestock should not be permitted to drink water directly from the lake in the area.

Blue-green algae is the common name for what are scientifically known as cyanobacteria. The organisms, like the true bacteria, have no defined nucleus and are not actually algae.