Members of Grey Highlands council are keenly aware that residents on and around Lake Eugenia are waiting for the municipality to take action to improve the water quality in the lake.
The issue has been percolating in the community for some time and in June, a group of local citizens asked council to take action to combat toxic blue algae that has been found in the lake.
The local citizens asked that the municipality implement mandatory septic system inspections for homes around the lake and make some improvements to a municipal culvert at Plantts Point.
At council’s meeting on Aug. 7, Mayor Paul McQueen added the issue to the agenda to allow council to have a conversation about the matter.
McQueen and other members of council acknowledged that the public is anxious to move forward on the issue and have not been shy about communicating their wishes to elected representatives.
McQueen said action was coming on the file and noted that the municipality is planning to form a new lake management task force that will take a look at the issue.
“We’re waiting for the terms of reference to come back,” said McQueen. “It’s important we, at least, have that communication.”
Coun. Nadia Dubyk agreed and said once the task force was in place, the issue could take centre stage.
“Once the task force is going, it can address a number of sub-projects,” she said. “That is actually the fastest way to corral people.”
Coun. Joel Loughead said he looks forward to the task force getting up and running.
“That is, in my opinion, the correct group to do the work necessary to improve lake quality,” said Loughead.
