AUBURN (NEWS CENTER Maine)-- No boats are allowed on Auburn Lake Tuesday as Lewiston and Auburn officials try to stop an algae problem before it starts.
Members of the Lewiston and Auburn water division and water district along with wildlife experts treated the lake with a low dose of algaecide; a chemical intended to destroy blue-green algae blooms that can harm the wildlife, and threaten the health of those who drink the water. Auburn Lake is the main source of drinking water for the L-A area, serving more than 45,000 people officials say. It has a higher content of phosphorus making it more at risk of an algae bloom combined with ideal conditions created by a very hot, sunny summer. In 2012, numerous fish in Auburn Lake suffocated and died due to an algae bloom.
“It's something we have to monitor closely,” said Sid Hazelton, Auburn Water Superintendent. “We're doing this as a precaution, because we did notice some of the algae start to spike.”
“These blue-green algae do give off a toxin,” explained Lewiston Water and Sewer Superintendent Kevin Gagne. “The cyanotoxin is what they call it, it’s something that we haven’t seen in our lake. We don't want to get to that level where it's a concern for health.”
Water district officials say there is no health risk to the public who drank the water Tuesday, and no animals should be affected by the algaecide.