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A substantial proportion of the water supply in Newry City comes from Lough Neagh, something that is causing an unusual taste from tap water for many in the city due to the presence of Blue Green Algae in the Lough. It seems that Newry is split down the middle with the County Armagh part of the city and South Armagh area supply coming from Lough Neagh while County Down east of the Clanrye River comes from Fofanny, Lough Island Reavy and Spelga.
While NI Water have released a media release it doesn't mention this area concentrating on the Mid Ulster area instead. The release explains "Increased levels of algae can cause an unusual taste and smell to water from your tap but does not pose a risk to health. The taste and smell can be earthy and/or musty. Therefore, while the water from your tap can be used in the normal way, we fully appreciate some customers might notice a difference in the taste and/or odour to their drinking water at this time."
It adds "We can assure our customers that the water supplied from all our Water Treatment Works, which includes water abstracted from Lough Neagh, is safe to drink and use as normal."
Head of drinking water and regulation Dymphna Gallagher explained “Our Water Treatment Works have robust nine stage cleaning systems, with different filtering systems and additions of chemicals at different times.
The Water Treatment Works (WTWs) that abstract water from Lough Neagh are designed for the removal of algae that may be present in the raw water.
“The compounds that are causing the taste and odour issues are called MIB and Geosmin. These are naturally occurring compounds that we know are not harmful to health.
“We are working hard to reduce the impact of these compounds as they move through our water supply system and can assure our customers we will continue this work throughout the weekend and over the coming week. In the meantime, if customers can store water in a jug in the fridge it will help reduce the taste and odour of the water.”
Members of the public have been quick to comment on the Newry.ie Facebook page. One reader said "Don’t drink tap water but could smell it in shower this evening"
Another explained the taste "tastes like mouldy or something, hard to explain." while another said it had "An aftertaste similar to blue mould"
You can check where your water supply is coming from by clicking on www.niwater.com
Let us know if you have experienced this and where in Newry you are.
