Deadly bacteria, caused by discharge from farming and sewage, has taken over the lake that provides 40% of Northern Ireland's drinking water.
"To think that it's crying looking [for] our help today and if it's crying looking [for] our help, we have to do something to try and help it. We've broke it and now we need to try and fix it."
There is a marker in the lough, indicating the location of the extraction pipe where 40% of Northern Ireland's drinking water begins its long journey.Beneath the surface resembles a snow globe but with green flakes of algae, a nutrient soup, and despite reassurances, there is concern about public safety.Waters in Ballyronan Marina, on the edge of the Lough, in 2022
"If we didn't have the problem here, I would probably be offshore, open-water swimming," explains Mary O'Hagan, who's leading the call for an action plan."Long-term aspects, you can have things like liver damage, neurological damage, so it is not stuff to be played about with."Gavin Knox, who has had to relocate his paddleboarding business, says he was"very angry" initially, because"this is a completely avoidable set of circumstances".
"The issues surrounding the lough are not just Lough Neagh-based. Lough Neagh, to me, is telling the story that all contributories feeding into it have ongoing issues, whether that be from agri-land or sewage being pumped in," he adds.
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