Group Water Scheme confident of Lough Carra water quality

Anton McNulty


Concerns over the water quality of Lough Carra will not affect the quality of water coming from the tap, according to the local Group Water Scheme secretary.
The Mayo News last week led with the story that there were grave fears for the future of the water supply due to a change in status made by the Environmental Protection Agency recently.
The Lough Carra Group Water Scheme provides water to 600 homes in the in Ballintubber, Clogher, Ballyglass and Robeen regions with the water coming from the 4,000 acre lake which has been the subject of environmental concern.
The EPA recently change the status of the water in the lake from ‘good’ to ‘review’ and are now carrying out fortnightly monitoring of the lake and its catchment due to their concern over the deterioration of the lake.
Local councillor Al McDonnell raised his concerns over the future consumption of water from the lake if the deterioration continues but this week, the secretary of the GWS said there was ‘no fear of drinking water being contaminated’.
Richard Murphy told The Mayo News that they have a state-of-the-art treatment plant operated by a third party and they have no fears for the water’s safety.
“I live close to the lake and I am aware of concerns regarding the deterioration of the lake and life in the lake. However, the treatment plant will take care of all of that and the water coming into the homes will be 100 percent treated. It is regularly tested by the HSE and Mayo County Council and there is no issue with the water quality.
“Our plant is state-of-the-art and top of the range and it will be able to deal with any problems which come up in the future. We monitor the water and there is no problem with the water coming from the taps,” he said.
Lough Carra is the largest marl lake in Ireland and is part of the Great Western Lakes complex, and and is joined to Lough Mask by the Keel River.
However there has been concern in the last decade regarding the physical change of the lake with the increased growth in vegetation and the disappearance of flies such as the mayfly. The lake which was famous for its clear water where you could see the bottom is now in places dark and murky.
Cllr McDonnell has raised his concerns regarding what he sees as ‘dramatic’ and ‘disturbing’ changes to the lake and welcomed the increased monitoring of the lake and its catchment by the EPA.
“We have to protect and save it from total destruction. We can only destroy it once and once it is destroyed it is gone forever,” he told a recent meeting of Castlebar Municipal District.