Officials at Lake Massawippi have warned residents in Hatley Township, North Hatley and Waterville in Quebec not to even touch the water, thanks to an algae outbreak in the lake. The lake normally supplies the area with its drinking water.

Officials reported a bloom of the blue-green algae known as cyanobacteria; any contact with the bacteria can cause irritation to skin and membranes. If the organisms are ingested, it could lead to gastroenteritis. Boiling the water will not destroy the toxic bacteria.

Conditions such as pH and warm water temperatures, along with the presence of high phosphorous concentrations, have made conditions favorable for the bacteria to grow. Officials expect the bacterial to die off over the next few weeks, when things can return to normal.

Free water was being supplied to residents at North Hatley’s city hall by municipal authorities.