ONE of Killarney’s worst fears has been realised – a lethal algal scum is again posing a threat to the town’s world famous lakes.
Kerry County Council officials have confirmed that water quality monitoring has identified an algal scum at a small number of locations along the shores of Lough Leane.
The local authority, which has taken samples for testing, has stressed that while the risk to public health is “extremely low” the presence of algal toxins has been known to cause illness or skin rashes in some cases.
As a precaution, the public has been advised not to use water from the lakes for tea, cooking or washing and not to swim or paddle in areas that are affected.
Fishermen have also been urged to avoid contact with areas affected by the scum and the pollution poses a real risk to dogs and other small animals who should be kept away.
Precautionary warning signs are being erected at various locations and all the relevant agencies have been notified.
The Lakes of Killarney were seriously affected by a blue-green coloured algae bloom in 1997 and it returned again in 2003.
