Toxic Algae Blooms Could Hurt Canadian Waters, Expert Warns (PHOTOS)

Canadians haven't yet faced a tap water ban this year due to toxic algae in Lake Erie, but they very well could see impacts from the phenomenon this month or next.

That's a warning Raj Bejankiwar, a physical scientist with the International Joint Commission, is raising to Canadians after a contaminated water system in Toledo, Ohio forced people to turn off the taps, likely in response to an algae bloom on the lake, Global News reported.

"It is [an] issue of concern for both Canadian and U.S. [citizens] who are withdrawing water from, especially on the western basin, of Lake Erie," Bejankiwar told the network.

Algae blooms in Lake Erie in 2011.

Algae is normal in freshwater and marine areas, but sometimes it can bloom, and grow quickly. When that happens, it can become harmful to fish and the broader ecosystem.

It can also lead to an effect known as "hypoxia," in which the water is essentially choked of oxygen, making it tough for marine life to survive.

Last year, an algae bloom in Florida killed a record number of manatees, The New York Times reported.

Algae blooms in China in 2010.

Blooms in Lake Erie are being blamed on a higher level of phosphorous, on which algae is known to feed. That substance is found in fertilizers for farms and lawns, and can enter the lake via runoff.

Warnings to prevent runoff on both sides of the border have persisted since at least last year. At that time, both Canada and the U.S. were advised to take action to prevent phosphorous from entering the lake.

With blooms can come a substance called Microcystis, a so-called cyanobacteria that can damage the nervous system and liver, and also kill animals, according to Vox.

Red algae blooms in Sydney, Australia in 2012.

A tap water ban was issued in Toledo after water treatment tests detected the toxin, forcing authorities to advise over 400,000 people in Ohio and Michigan not to drink, brush their teeth or bathe in it. The ban was lifted on Monday.

Ontario's water wasn't affected — the province's environment ministry said it has a "rapid response" system to deal with toxic algae — but authorities have nevertheless been advised to keep an eye on the problem in future, CTV News reported.