The Moy is getting greener but who
cares?
By: Denis Daly
Source:
western People
ANYONE who
doubts the serious extent of pollution in the Moy
should take a trip to the Quay area in Ballina and
have a look at the river banks.
On both the Quay side of the river
and the Belleek shore there is a bright green growth
of moss or other form of algae.
The growth has occurred in the last
six weeks or so and it is so serious on the Belleek
side of the river, it resembles a green, grassy shore.
Up until a few years ago, the river
banks and the growths on the shores, have been brown
in colour.
As well, in recent weeks, the large
mud/sand bank in the Moy at the Quay,
has developed an extensive area of green growth.
Perhaps, it has something to do
with the time of year, or other reasons, but these growths appear at about the
same time each year and are worse at this time of year.
A number of questions arise?
What is the make up of this growth?
What causes it? How serious is it for fish life, for humans?
It is a danger to cockles/mussels
in the Moy Estuary?
It is important that the source, or
sources, and the make up of the growth is identified without delay - when/if
fish start to die in the river it will be too late.
As well, is the enrichment of the Moy waters as serious up river? In other words is the
sewage treatment plant the cause, or partly the cause, and are there other
causes in Ballina?
A detailed report on the state of
the Moy waters from the source of the river to the
sea is necessary for a number of reasons.
It is important to know at what
points that pollution/enrichment occur in the river and if there are different
types of enrichment at different points.
The green growth is getting worse
every year. A benchmark is needed so that the public will know what is happening year on year. It could also be a start to
raising awareness about what is happening to the water in the Moy.
So who is to come up with the
report?