Lake Tuggeranong plagued by water quality and toxic algal blooms

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Toxic algal blooms and water quality problems have plagued Lake Tuggeranong for decades. The territory government has embarked on a new attempt to solve those problems for good, although it could take a decade.

Transcript

00:00Blue-green algal blooms are a yearly occurrence at Lake Tuggeranong.

00:07The lake foreshores are used extensively for people walking around, running around,

00:12so it is very much a community asset right in the middle.

00:16But once you get those algal blooms into the lake, it becomes unpleasant to actually be here.

00:23Unpleasant for pedestrians, but especially so for those on the water.

00:28Certainly when there's a bloom, it is an unpleasant smell,

00:32and you wouldn't even want to be working or rowing hard when that's around.

00:37Residents agree the lake could use some TLC.

00:40All the shopping trolleys they pull out of here and the rubbish,

00:43it definitely contributes to the problem.

00:45I can see some children just playing in the water. I don't feel it's safe for them.

00:51By 2035, the ACT Government is aiming to significantly reduce blue-green algal blooms in the lake.

00:57It says research it's done with the University of Canberra shows reducing pollution from plant waste,

01:03like grass clippings and fertilisers, is the most effective way to stop blue-green algae blooms.

01:10The Government's asking Tuggeranong residents for their ideas as it puts together a ten-year plan for the lake.

01:16It's not all about the community, but it's not all about government.

01:19So we have our operations that are mowing lawns and contributing to part of this problem,

01:24but so do households. So how do we help them keep the streets and the driveways clean?

01:29There are already some suggestions.

01:31We started a few years ago picking up green glitter, but we need to have places where they can drop stuff off more conveniently.

01:37So there's a few things to help the community get more involved and education is important too.

01:42The goal is clear.

01:43The best case scenario is swimming and making it available to the public three years out of four.

01:48A lake that lives up to its potential.

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