ALLIANCE Councillor Patrick Clarke has welcomed confirmation received from NI Water that senior officials have now agreed to meet Councillor Clarke and members of Dundrum Angling club following their concerns an aquatic Curley weed growing out of control at Dundrum Dam due to sewerage pollution.
Local anglers feared the spread of the weed will have a “significant impact” on Dundrum Dam and that it must be removed as a matter of urgency.
Newcastle Councillor Patrick Clarke raised their concerns to the NI Environment Minister Alex Attwood, the NI Environment Agency and Northern Ireland Water in order to receive assistance in removal of the aquatic weed and answers to the sewage pollution incident which affected Dundrum Dam back in August.
Councillor Clarke said: “It is widely believed a sewerage spill which was only identified on 15 August into a water stream feed near the dam at the Derinilla Lane area has exacerbated the growth of the aquatic Curley weed which has completely covered the popular fishing spot.
“As a result of sewage leaking into the water stream flowing from the Moneycarragh River into the dam that the dam is now unfishable and has been for some time now.”
“Members of Dundrum Angling Club are unable to pursue their recreational sport in the dam and want to know what plans NI Water have to resolve the situation.”
Councillor Clarke explained the anglers who have leased the dam from the Downshire Estate believe sewage is lying on the bed of the dam and that this needs to be completely removed before any restocking takes place.
He added that NI Water had been carrying out repairs in recent weeks to the sewage connections in the Castleglen estate which were misconnected within the sewerage network following the incident being detected at Dundrum Dam.
Anglers now require urgent assistance from NI Water to remove the weed from the bed of the dam added Councillor Clarke. He said: “Some form of help to employ contractors to complete the task of removing by machinery I sneeded due to the financial cost which is estimated at over £15,000.
“Removing the sewage will require the dam to be drained and members of the angling club are simply not in a position to undertake such a task without any external help and financial assistance from NI Water.”
