Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the UK and Ireland, is being poisoned by a toxic blue-green algae on an apocalyptic scale, Ednews reports referring to Sky News.

It is killing fish, birds and dogs and there are serious concerns about public health because the lough provides 40% of Northern Ireland's drinking water.

Peter Harper, shoreline environment officer with Lough Neagh Partnership, says: "The lough at the minute, I would say, is in a state of emergency and we're in a state of emergency too in a way in Northern Ireland because we don't have a government.

"We don't have an environment minister, we don't have anyone to come out and see what's happening."

The deadly cyanobacteria is mainly caused by excess nutrients - nitrates and phosphates from farming discharge and sewage - and the stench is pungent and nauseating.
Gary McErlain, whose family has fished these waters for generations, is emotional about the state of the lough, which many people consider a national treasure.

There is a marker in the lough, indicating the location of the extraction pipe where 40% of Northern Ireland's drinking water begins its long journey.

Beneath the surface resembles a snow globe but with green flakes of algae, a nutrient soup, and despite reassurances, there is concern about public safety.

With water temperature rising, climate change is a factor, and invasive zebra mussels aren't helping. They filter the water and sunlight penetrates deeper, photosynthesising the algae.

But there is a general consensus among scientists that humans are mostly to blame - a combination of pollution without penalty and political failure for decades.