Lake scum is not slurry say council

Local fears of slurry pollution of Lough Derg and one of its tributaries at Newtown have been discounted by Tipperary County Council who say that a scum that has appeared in parts of the lake and river is likely due to recent changes in weather conditions.

Concern arose after locals reported a beige/brown coloured scum in the lower reaches of the Newtown River at its convergence with Lough Derg over a number of days last week.
The appearance of the scum, which covered a good portion of the mouth of the river, followed an incident near Ryan's Point on the lake two weeks ago when a similar scum washed up on a considerable length of the shoreline of the lake.
Then on Friday last another local man alerted The Guardian to a similar coloured scum washing up on the shores beside the castle in Garrykennedy.
However, in a statement issued to The Guardian the council states: Tipperary County Council Environment & Climate Action Section received a report of a green/brown discoloration of the water in the Newtown river, where it flows into Lough Derg on the April 24th. An executive scientist visited the area and carried out an extensive river walk along the Newtown and Youghal rivers, and also carried out further investigations at Carhue.
"She confirmed the presence of a brown and whitish scum and algal growth on the Newtown river at Lough Derg.
"The scum was not slurry and there was no discharge of slurry into the river. There was no evidence of slurry spreading in the area.
"The cause of the material is likely due to the recent change in weather conditions and there have been similar occurrences in the past, which normally dissipate when further changes in weather conditions."