Public told not to go into the water at two popular lakes over pollution fears
Water quality at two lakes in the Newry and Mourne Council area has been flagged as hazardous to the public in the middle of a busy summer time.
Poor conditions at Castlewellan Lake in Co Down and Camlough Lake in south Armagh were identified on Tuesday amid a warning for the public not to enter the waterways.
The news comes as 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.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service DUP representative Alan Lewis said: ”I understand that the areas are used for leisure and recreation. The council has been carrying out regular testing and will continue to do so to ensure the quality of the water.
“I am continuing to work with the council to ensure all steps are being taken. In the meantime we would ask the public to adhere to the signage and social media updates from the council.
“This is a protective health measure and we are working towards making sure the water quality will be up to standard in the coming weeks.”
The LDRS understands that the water concerns are not around blue green algae, but the pollutant identified has not yet been made known to the public.
Castlewellan Lake located within the forest park attracts thousands of visitors annually for a variety of activities, including canoeing, paddle-boarding, and fishing.
Camlough Lake is also 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.
The conditions at the waterways were initially raised on July 29, however further testing is now required this week with an update from a local authority still to clear the lakes as safe for public health and safety.
A statement on NMDDC social media reads: ”Public entry into the water at Castlewellan Lake and Camlough Lake is not advised due to the detection of poor water quality. “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.
“We would ask the public to please adhere to on site signage at both locations. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”