For mom Melanie Meyers, a dip in the Milk River would be nice on a hot summer day, but it will just be her toes going in for the next little while.
“I have no intention of us going fully in that water,” she said. “If we wade into it we will be washing up after, not splashing around in it, not getting our face in it, no drinking the water.”
Alberta Health Services recently issued an advisory after fecal coliform was detected in the water at Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park.
READ MORE: Water quality advisory issued for Milk River in Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park
“What that represents is the number of bacteria from poo basically — from cattle humans and birds — that ends up in the water,” said Dr. Karin Goodison.
“Studies demonstrate that if there is a lot of fecal coliforms in the water, it’s associated with human illness.”
Signs are posted at areas where there’s risk in the water, leaving the final decision up to users.
Symptoms can be serious, and can present as skin irritation, eye and ear infections or vomiting and diarrhea.
“We really are mostly concerned about people who are swimming in the water, particularly dunking your head under the water. It doesn’t apply as much to events done on top of the water or when minimal exposure to the water occurs,” added Goodison.
Another potential risk in the water is blue-green algae. Pine Coulee Reservoir west of Stavely has an advisory in place.
“We will see this when it’s hot and the days are still and a bloom will form on the surface of the water. It will be greenish, almost like moss or something growing on the water,” Goodison said. “When that occurs those bacteria can release a toxin that causes skin irritation, and if you ingest it, nausea and vomiting.”
Both advisories are in place until further notice. Details on the advisories can be found here.