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Camlough Lake will remain off limits for several more weeks after blue-green algae was detected at the popular South Armagh recreation site. At a time of year when the facility is at its busiest Newry and Armagh MP, Dáire Hughes, has called for DAERA and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council to work out what is contributing to the problem and to take immediate action to prevent the bloom happening again.
Signs warning of the outbreak have been erected at the lake, a development the MP said has frustrated the local community. A similar situation in 2025 saw the lake deemed not safe due to poor water quality.
Hughes said: "Newry, Mourne and Down Council officials have confirmed to me that they are now carrying out regular visual monitoring of the site and will be testing the water for toxins. The Inter-Agency Blue-Green Algae Monitoring Protocol states that restrictions on the use of the water can only be lifted after 4 consecutive weeks of observing no blooms and when water samples comply with public health guidance."
The MP added that the wider Camlough community and the local Sinn Féin team have worked for years to promote and enhance the lake. An investment of £4.6 million has been secured to develop a Recreational Hub at the site, with the council currently seeking contractors to deliver the project.
He concluded: "The Department and the Council must now work quickly to determine what factors contributed to this outbreak and put preventative measures in place to ensure Camlough Lake remains accessible as a primary recreational site in South Armagh."
