A ban on detergents containing phosphates is critical to ensure the future well-being of the entire Shannon river catchment, an environmental group campaigning to restore Lough Derg has claimed.
The Save Our Lough Derg group (SOLD) spelled out the extent of deterioration of fresh water in the system yesterday. It also announced details in Dromineer, Co Tipperary, of its campaign to persuade householders and businesses located near the lake to switch to phosphate-free detergents.
Excessive run-off of wastes containing phosphates in the form of household sewage, often untreated, and agricultural effluent had resulted in an unacceptable level of deterioration in the water quality, said a SOLD spokesman, Mr Frank Lewis.