Blue-green algae is blooming in the Great Lakes, an omnious sign of suffering water quality that poses health risks for people who depend on the lakes for drinking water, food, and recreation, according to a U.S.-Canadian report.

The International Joint Commission, a U.S.-Canadian agency which advises both federal governments on issues involving their shared waterways, is urging government agencies to require measures preventing runoff from farms and cities, including bans on lawn fertilizers. 

Additionally, the commission called for research of better ways to detect health hazards in shallow water and beachers where people can get sick from bacteriea, viruses, and parasites.