November 14, 2020
Ireland

Concerns for water supply after peat slippage

The Donegal News | November 13, 2020 | donegalnews.com

Donegal County Council has confirmed that Lough Mourne and the drinking water supply in the Finn Valley has not been contaminated following a peat slippage this afternoon.

Serious concerns had been raised about the impacts of the incident at the Meenbog Windfarm near Barnesmore Gap on water supplies after material ran into the Mournebeg River.

Sinn Féin Councillors in Donegal and Tyrone called for urgent clarity from Irish Water and NI Water and have since received a response from Donegal County Council.

“Donegal County Council have now confirmed that Lough Mourne will not be affected by this incident, and the drinking water supply in the Finn Valley is not contaminated. However we have not received the same assurances from NI Water regarding the supply in Tyrone. This raises serious concerns that similar incidents could happen in the future and have an adverse affect on our drinking water supply,” the statement read.

Derry City and Strabane Councillor Kieran McGuire said:

“I have contacted NI Water to request that their staff are on scene as quickly as possible to liaise with their counterparts in Donegal and urgently assess the situation.

“I have been talking to the owners of a fish farm in the area who are seriously concerned that they may have lost a significant amount of their stock.”


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2020/11/14/concerns-for-water-supply-after-peat-slippage/