Blue-green algae won't affect fish
BLUE-green algae levels in Leslie Dam should be of little concern to people thinking of eating fish from the dam, a Warwick and District Recreational Fish Stocking Association spokesman said.
Ed Kemp said fish regularly ate the algae which didn’t actually transfer into their flesh.
He said fish from Leslie Dam were safe to eat but people should avoid making contact with blue-green algae.
“There’s no real danger to people if they want to go in the water – it’ll make you itchy,” Mr Kemp said.
“Just be aware that it’s there, try not to touch it – not without gloves on.
“If you do walk in it, don’t be in there for too long and try not to make contact with it.
“My experience is it’s just one of those things that happens, the conditions will change and it will go.”
When asked about consuming the water, Mr Kemp said he wouldn’t drink it unless he had to.
“I wouldn’t be drinking the water, not before boiling it anyway,” he said. “If I was dying of thirst, I would drink it but not near the algae.
“Obviously the water is fine in town, it’s filtered and treated so it’s fine to drink.”
Water supply company, SunWater, which took water samples from Leslie Dam earlier this month, found levels of blue-green algae to be high.
