Discovery of green algal bloom on Lough Corrib in mid-November has been described as a ‘wakeup call’ – with potentially serious consequences for Galway’s water supply.

Anglers feared the toxic algae could morph quickly into a more dangerous blue-green algal bloom, which would threaten the city’s drinking water source.

Galway City Council issued a ‘ban notice’ last weekend after multiple reports by anglers and kayakers of green algae bloom on water near Menlo.

“The green algae in Coolough Lakes is going out into the main river where the city gets its drinking water. The City Council need to get off their backsides and put a plan together to deal with this,” said one city-based angler, who asked not to be named, but who has seen the algae in person from his boat.

The local authority said it was investigating and warned the water “may cause illness in humans and animals, including pets”.

But regular lake users feared this latest bloom was advance warning of potentially more serious and more toxic algae blooms to come on Galway’s drinking water source.

Michael McGrath of Lough Corrib Angling Federation said the reports of green algae needed to be taken seriously.

“It’s one step from catastrophe,” he warned.

“It’s a green-algae, but if it goes to blue-green algae it turns toxic. You get cyanobacteria. The green algae can also be very dangerous.

“The problem with most water filtration systems in Ireland is they are not geared to remove that type of toxin out of the water, so it can end up in our drinking water.

“The green algae generally doesn’t produce that type of toxin but it can still be toxic and it can swing over very quickly to blue-green algae, which is completely toxic,” Corrandulla-based Mr McGrath said.

He feared the Corrib and other water systems were running out of time.

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