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Sand castles line the beach of Killarney Lake in this file photo.

Three beaches in Westman received failing grades from water tests conducted by Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship last week.

Water in Killarney Lake and Pelican Lake showed the number of blue-green algae cells and the concentration of microcystin, an algal toxin, were above the recreational water quality guideline for the province.

As a result of the tests, drinking, swimming or any other contact with the water at Killarney Beach and Pelican Lakes south and north beaches is not recommended.

The failed tests arent unique to Westman as five other beaches throughout the province also failed tests and are currently under an algae advisory.

"A lot of it depends on which way the wind is blowing,"said Jay Struth, chair of the Killarney Lake Action Committee, adding that a westerly wind can cause a high amount of algae to gather at the Killarney Beach location, causing dense blooms and giving way to microcystin.

Killarney has been at the forefront when it comes to researching methods to combat the blooms.

In 2001, former Brandon University student Jeremy Ross conducted a study in conjunction with the town to examine the inhibitory effects of barley straw on algae in a Prairie water body. The study, which was conducted in the third cell of the sewage lagoon in Killarney wasnt tested in the lake, however, due to environmental officials citing unknown effects on other organisms, according to Dr. Bill Paton, a biology and botany professor at Brandon University.

"Our main problem is internal loading, so the phosphorus re-releases every summer and creates a perpetual problem,"Struth said. "Were looking at creating a good water budget. We need to get all of the available data we have together, fill in some gaps and then really see what could be a useful treatment against the algae."

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Three Westman beaches fail water quality testing