Halifax city council will move forward with a pollution control study for two of Halifax’s most popular lakes, referencing the issue to a committee planning this year’s municipal budget.
The study of Lake Banook and Lake Micmac is expected to cost $150,000. The money is coming out of the upcoming 2018-2019 municipal budget.
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Coun. Tony Mancini stressed that Lake Banook, in particular, is important to the Halifax Regional Municipality for the attractions it brings to the area.
“This is a special lake that doesn’t just put Dartmouth, but HRM on the map across the world,” he said, referring to the fact that the lake will host the 2018 Pan American Canoe Sprint championships this September.
According to the staff report, the number of closures of Birch Cove Lake Beach at Lake Banook has increased steadily over the past few years.
In 2012, Birch Cove was closed for five days, while 2017 saw the beach closed for a total of 33 days due to high bacteria counts in the water.
Municipal staff say a pollution study will allow the city to determine the overall health of Lake Banook and Lake MicMac. They add that the rapid increase of bacteria in the lake’s water indicate that the water quality is degrading.
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The study will help them identify the source of the bacteria and how quickly it spreads — possibly allowing the city to find ways to combat it.
The motion carried unanimously.