Five groups given almost half a million pounds between them to come up with ways of fighting blue-green algae in Lough Neagh
Five groups have seen £450,000 parcelled out amongst them as the government seeks ways of cleaning up the blue-green algae infection in Lough Neagh.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) awarded the money to the quintet “to develop proof of concepts on potential solutions to treat, reduce and suppress the growth” of blue-green algae – “without impacting the natural environment”.
DAERA contributed £200,000 towards the initiative, with the Department for the Economy (DfE) contributing £250,000.
DAERA said that the call for ideas on solving the problem had “attracted considerable interest nationally and internationally, with almost 200 initial expressions of interest and 53 actual bids being received”.
These were then whittled down to five “following a rigorous evaluation process”.
The winning bidders are: Clear Water Systems Ltd; Helix8 Ltd; Queen’s University Belfast; Varicon Aqua Solutions Ltd; and Wholeschool Software Ltd (Biild).
DAERA says the next phase will see “two to three” of the five concepts selected and developed as potential solutions.
The department gave little indication of what the ideas involved, except that some were based on “the use of ultrasonics, mechanical treatment, and biological treatment”.
In a statement, minister Andrew Muir said: “This first phase of the initiative is intended to demonstrate the technical feasibility of a proposed concept and its viability as a solution to help tackle blue-green algae in Lough Neagh and can hopefully be applied to any area that has been affected by the bacteria.
“However, we must remember, this alone will not solve the blue-green algae crisis.
"This initiative is only one action outlined in my 37-point Lough Neagh Report and Action Plan, which paves the way forward for improved water quality and reduced blue-green algae. There is a significant amount of work to do to restore the lough and enhance water quality throughout Northern Ireland. This will take both time and resources.
"Water quality issues at Lough Neagh and elsewhere were decades in the making and will take decades to fix. It is my vision to have a healthy, resilient environment with high water quality status and I am firmly committed to take the necessary action to make a difference to our waterways.”
It is anticipated that phase one will run through to March 2025, with a potential call for phase two applications commencing summer 2025.