Like many lakes in Quebec, Lac du Gros-Ruisseau, located in Mont-Joli and Saint-Joseph-de-Lepage in the Bas-Saint-Laurent, faces a major problem of invasive algae.

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In 2016, local residents noticed Eurasian watermilfoil for the first time, an aquatic plant spreading at lightning speed in the body of water.

This year, another invasive plant is causing damage. This is filamentous algae, which looks like foam on the surface of the water.

"It's really not pleasant, and if we leave them there it smells really bad," explained the president of the Association of residents of Lac du Gros Ruisseau, Gilles Gaudreault.

For several years, certain measures have been put in place to curb the proliferation of algae and in an attempt to reverse the situation, the municipal authorities recommend that residents of the shoreline update their septic systems.

Out of a hundred residences, around thirty do not have facilities that meet current standards.

According to Mr. Gaudreault, if septic tanks are normally brought up to standard, this is not the case for cesspools.

The city of Mont-Joli and the municipality of Saint-Joseph-de-Lepage have therefore undertaken borrowing by-laws to help residents financially carry out the necessary work.

“This three-year program has a budget of $850,000, first come, first served,” explained Mont-Joli Mayor Martin Soucy.

He adds that the aid will be translated according to the actual costs of the work.

“If upgrading their septic systems costs $20,000, upon presentation of invoices, we will be able to advance the sum of $20,000 to the citizen and he will reimburse over a period of fifteen years,” he explained.