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Pollutants causing two council maintained lakes to shut-down to the public have not been recorded by the local authority, it can be revealed.
Poor conditions of Camlough Lake in south Armagh and Castlewellan in Co Down were identified in July/ August 2025 amid a warning for the public not to enter the waterways.
A Freedom of Information request by the Local Democracy Reporting Service asked Newry, Mourne and Down District Council to identify the pollutants, the quantity and the source causing the hazardous conditions.
However, despite the council saying it regularly tested the waterways, the FoI response from the council states: “Precautionary notices were issued around water quality at Castlewellan Lake.
“However, the council does not hold any information in relation to the cause of below-sufficient water quality at Castlewellan Lake or Camlough Lake. Council does not hold any information in relation to the pollutants and cannot, therefore, provide any information in relation to quantities.
“As outlined above, the council does not hold any information in relation to the source of the pollutants at either lake.”
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is due to invest millions of pounds into water activities in its locality in order to attract tourism into the area.
Camlough Lake is due for a major development with plans for the council to generate a water activity facility supported by £2.8m of UK Levelling Up funds.
Castlewellan Lake located within the forest park attracts thousands of visitors annually for a variety of activities, including canoeing, paddle-boarding, and fishing.
The LDRS understands that the water concerns were not around blue-green algae, but the pollutant and its source are yet to be made known to the public.
At the time of the lake closures, a council spokesperson said: “Council is currently undertaking further testing at both lakes. A water quality update will be provided in due course for both lakes via social media.”
