As sure as night follows day, Lake Wyangan is the subject of a red alert again. Photo: Sharon Brown Facebook.
Griffith’s troubled Lake Wyangan has once again been deemed off limits for swimming and boating, with Mayor Doug Curran reassuring residents that it is not used to source drinking water.
A red alert was issued for the lake this week due to its higher than normal levels of blue-green algae – a bacteria that can produce dangerous toxins. This means the water is also unsuitable for domestic uses such as showering or washing, and contact may pose a risk to livestock and pets.
“I have seen a few questions and comments and want to assure the community, we do not draw water from the lake for the town water supply,” Mayor Doug Curran said on social media.
“We have done so many years ago, but we are not and have no plans to do so moving forward. If we did need to due to water constraints in the future, we would most definitely let the community know.
“In regards to adding more water, we are doing so now, completing an addition of 1000 megalitres which was started around Christmastime; we had to cease during the recent heatwave due to the demand from irrigators to sustain their crops.”
Drinking water was controversially sourced from Lake Wyangan in July 2017, when it was “shandied” with higher quality water and used for the town’s tap water supply during an unusually dry winter. At the time, there were complaints about the funny taste of the water, but council assured the public it was properly treated and safe.
“As detailed in a previous media release, council is also applying for grant funding to improve the water quality. If you have further questions or comments please feel free to let us know,” Mayor Curran said.
Once the heartbeat of the town, Lake Wyangan has been plagued by blue-green algal outbreaks for the past 20 years, during which time it’s been largely out of bounds for recreational activity.
Griffith wetlands expert Geoff Sainty offered council a plan to fix the lake for $500,000 in 2018, but councillors voted it down at the time.
The Order of Australia medallist proposed creating a natural wetland habitat with hundreds of plants on the eastern shore of the lake. The plants would compete with the bacteria, and stop it from multiplying and becoming dominant. Shepparton Council used a similar strategy to solve algal outbreaks at Victoria Park Lake.
Mr Sainty died in 2022 and his plan has never been adopted.
While the lake is on red alert, fish may be caught, but must be cleaned and washed thoroughly in uncontaminated water, with all internal organs disposed of appropriately.
