Search

06 Sept 2025

Save Lough Neagh campaign group organise protest march calling for urgent environmental action

This weekend's march in Belfast comes after years of protest action drawing attention to governmental failures in resolving the crisis at Lough Neagh

Save Lough Neagh campaign group organise protest march calling for urgent environmental action

The event is endorsed by a litany of social, political and environmental organisations.

Reporter:

Staff Reporter

31 Oct 2024 9:32 AM

Email:

editor@derrypost.com

Campaigners will 'flood the streets' on Sunday, November 3 with a protest march through the streets of Belfast, calling for urgent environmental action and investment in sewage infrastructure to tackle the public health emergency of rampant sewage dumping.
It will coincide with the massive March For Clean Water in London on the same day, championed by campaigner Feargal Sharkey.
Organised by the campaign group Save Lough Neagh and endorsed by a litany of social, political and environmental organisations, the march comes after years of protest action drawing attention to governmental failures in resolving the crisis at Lough Neagh. 
Presently, Lough Neagh is experiencing a collapse of biodiversity and extreme eutrophication, leading to spells where the Lough is coated in thick algal blooms with dead animals washing up along the shores.
While there are a range of contributing factors to the crisis, such as agricultural pollution and invasive species, it is believed a massive source of excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the Lough Neagh catchment comes from the dumping of raw (untreated) human waste by water service, NI Water.
Statistics published by DAERA show that 24% of excess nutrients in the catchment come from wastewater and sewage discharges, which serves to feed the cyanobacteria causing the widespread algal blooms.
A spokesperson for Save Lough Neagh said: "While the preservation of Lough Neagh, one of Europe's largest freshwater lakes, is our priority - we are also gravely concerned about the contamination of our drinking water. Lough Neagh water supplies 40% of the drinking water of the north of Ireland, and supplies a vast swathe of Belfast as well.
"Residents around the shores have been reporting discoloured, foul tasting water for months - serious questions need to be asked of both NI Water and Stormont for allowing this situation to escalate into a public health emergency.
"With parts of our sewer network dating back centuries, and new housing developments currently being stalled due to lack of sewage infrastructure, the clear solution is a significant and long-overdue investment in modernising our sewers. 
"We call for NI Water to be brought into public ownership and run at cost. We firmly assert that working people will not foot the bill for decades of government failings, we will not bail Stormont out by paying water charges. While our society is mired in a 'cost of living crisis', the last thing people need is to pay for access to what should be a human right - clean water. 
"Join us on November 3rd, lets flood the street with people - not with sewage!"

To continue reading this article,
please subscribe and support local journalism!

Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles.

Subscribe

To continue reading this article for FREE,
please kindly register and/or log in.

Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites. You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news!

Register / Login

Most Popular

Sponsored Content

Multimedia

We've got Donegal Covered...

Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie

Buy a paper

Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.

Buy Now
Get the news

Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.

Register Now
Iconic Media is Ireland's largest independently owned regional newspaper and media group, with an unrivalled audience in print, online and mobile. We have 19 regional newspapers and 21 digital sites.

Iconic Digital Titles

  • Carlow Live
  • Clare Live
  • Derry Now
  • Donegal Live
  • Éire Bheo
  • Inish Live
  • Ireland Live
  • Kildare Live
  • Kildare Now
  • Kilkenny Live
  • Laois Live
  • Leitrim Live
  • Letterkenny Live
  • Limerick Live
  • Longford Live
  • Louth Live
  • Mayo Live
  • Nenagh Live
  • Offaly Live
  • Tipperary Live
  • Waterford Live

    • Iconic Print Titles

  • Clonmel Nationalist
  • County Derry Post
  • Derry News
  • Donegal Democrat
  • Donegal Post
  • Dundalk Democrat
  • Homes in Donegal
  • Inish Times
  • Kilkenny People
  • Leinster Express
  • Leinster Leader
  • Leitrim Observer
  • Letterkenny Live
  • Limerick Leader
  • Longford Leader
  • Mayo News
  • Midland Tribune
  • Tipperary Star
  • Tullamore Tribune

    • This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.

    © 2025 Iconic Media