Red alert for Murrumbidgee River

[Member]

ALGAL ALERT BULLETIN
Murrumbidgee Regional Algal Coordinating Committee
Media Contact: Bunty Driver 0407 403234
Thursday, 30 January 2014


Red alert for Blue-green algae at Hay
The Murrumbidgee Regional Algal Coordinating Committee ( MRACC) today issued a red alert level warning (high alert) for  blue-green algae in the Murrumbidgee River at Hay.
MRACC Chair Tony Burns said that routine sampling had detected very high levels of blue green algae at the Murray Street and Leonard Street sampling sites, in the Hay weir pool.

These levels are well above the safe levels for recreation and as such the MRACC has issued a red alert for these waters.
Mr Burns reminded all water users that algal blooms can develop in a 24 hour period and can spread rapidly along a river or within a storage.
“This result is not surprising given the spate of very hot weather that we have had this month,” he said.

Mr Burns said that a red alert warning indicates that the water is unsuitable for all uses and people should not drink or swim in this water until the red alert has been lifted.
“Hay Shire Council has been treating the town water supply with activated carbon for some time, meaning that the town water supply is safe to drink .”

Monitoring will continue and updates will be made regularly.

Information updates about blue-green algae blooms and Red Level Warning areas can be obtained from the Regional Algal Coordinating Committee freecall Algal Information Hotline on 1800 999 457.