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A POSSIBLE outbreak of botulism will not stop people using Lake Weeroona.
Dozens of athletes from the Bendigo Rowing Club and Bendigo Canoe Club regularly train on the lake.
A spokesperson for the canoe club said a council water top-up was “well and truly overdue”.
“The secret to the health of the lake is to make sure we have a good supply of clean fresh water,” they said.
“We have people down there twice a day and we tell the girls to have a shower afterwards.
“It’s good that the council is topping it up because there had been concerns raised about a month or so ago.
“Sometimes you go to the lake and you can just tell it’s a bit stagnant, more so in the hot weather.”
The spokesperson said they had seen dead birds and fish at the lake.
"We don't know what the cause is," they said.
"You'd have to ask the experts."
Rowing club president Damien Hickey said he was not concerned by the death of 10 birds at the site.
“We row there three times a week,” he said.
“I haven’t seen any dead birds myself.
“I have absolutely no fear at all.”
But Mr Hickey said the water had a taste like a “salt-water filtered pool”.
“You don’t want to take a mouthful,” he said.
“I wouldn’t swim in it.
“When people fall out of boats we tell them to keep their heads above water.
“I wouldn’t want to drink the water, but no, I’m not overly concerned by it.
"We won't be put off by it and it won't stop us."