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Warning signs have been erected at Camlough Lake by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council after blue green algae was found in the water. The signs alert visitors to the presence of toxins that pose a risk to human health, with people warned not to enter the water, drink it or eat fish from the lake.
Marc Mac Seáin, People Before Profit Newry and Armagh representative, said he spoke to a council worker on site after seeing reports of the toxic algae and was told that around 1,000 people had visited Camlough Lake the previous day. He said: "It's horrendous to think many people were exposed to these toxins. Don't enter the water whilst there are active concerns about its safety."
Mac Seáin said the appearance of this type of algae has become an almost annual occurrence in waterways and lakes throughout the north, many of which are also used as sources of drinking water. He said: "The appearance of this sort of algae is basically an annual occurrence in waterways, lakes across the North now. Many of which we get drinking water from. Intense agripollution is rife, and coupled with global warming creates the perfect conditions for these harmful blooms. Yet none of this is natural, it could be regulated and stopped yet DAERA, Stormont refuse to. Polluters must be monitored and punished. Incentives to pollute must be cut. We also need to invest in water treatment infrastructure."
He said this is not the first time pollution has been recorded at Camlough Lake or other lakes in the region in recent years, and described the timing as shocking given that the lake is set to receive a £4.6m sports facility and lake hub. He said: "Camlough Lake has had £4.6m awarded to build a sports facility yet how exactly is that going to be safe for people to use adequately if every summer access is shut down due to toxins? It's unacceptable that our waterways, our drinking water remains in this polluted state over years."
