This article is from page 2 of the 2011-08-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
TIPPERARY County Council has issued a health warning about water on Lough Derg, advising people to “exercise caution” on the lake, but according to Clare County Council there is no cause for concern.
The contrasting state of water quality on either side of Ireland’s largest lake emerged this week after the environment section of Tipperary County Council revealed that the green scum known as algae bloom had returned to the lake.
“The presence of Algae Bloom was observed in recent days,” a Tipperary council spokesperson revealed.
Blue green algae can produce harmful toxins. Such toxins have been known to be harmful to animals that drink the water and skin rashes have occurred in humans following contact.
The bloom is most easily recognised when it forms a bright peagreen paint like scum on, or close to the shoreline.
“Notices are in place at various locations around Lough Derg informing the public of the algal blooms. The public are advised to please exercise caution,” the council said.
“Contact with this bloom should be avoided as it may cause skin irritation. Keep all animals especially dogs away from the affected area. ensure animals have an alternative source of drinking water,” the council spokesperson added.
However, when contacted by The Clare People this week, a spokesperson for the environment section of Clare County Council said there was no cause for concern for those on the Clare side of the lake.
“There is no case of algae bloom on the Clare shoreline,” a council spokesperson revealed. “That’s not to say that it’s not going to happen, but there are no cases to report. It’s being monitored all the time and the council is satisfied that everything is ok,” the spokesperson added.
Back in 2005 the death of two dogs after a swim in Lough Derg had prompted the two county councils to ban the public from swimming in the lake. A subsequent investigation of the waters were the dogs swam found a potentially toxic algae bloom.
It prompted both Clare and North Tipperary County Councils to erect signs advising the public not to swim in the lake and farmers and others to keep domestic and farm animals away from the lake.
It was the fifth year in a row that the councils had been forced to erect such signage along the Shannon’s largest lake in response to a pollution scare.