Worries that an algal bloom was developing in Whanganui's Virginia Lake have eased after the latest round of sampling undertaken by Horizons Regional Council.
The Whanganui District Council posted signs around the lake within the last fortnight warning the public of the bloom but tests carried out afterwards showed that none of the potentially poisonous blue-green algae were in the lake water.
A district council spokesperson said the samples "looked clear with a few green colonies visible".
"These were identified as a species of the green alga Volvox, which is not expected to pose any issues. Horizons also reported that there was no odour detected from the sample either," the spokesperson said.
Volvox is a type of freshwater alga found in ponds and ditches, even in shallow puddles, and often found in deeper ponds, lagoons and ditches that receive plenty of rainwater.