Algae Removal From Waterways

Breathing Life Back into Lough Neagh:
Controlling Algae Blooms in Large Bodies of Water

The Crisis at Lough Neagh

Give a highly visible and effective Rapid Response to emerging algae blooms so they are stopped from becoming environmental disasters.

The Need for Sustainable Solutions

A solution is needed to eliminate the devastating algae blooms at a sustainable cost. Reducing the nutrient content in the lough is crucial. This requires changes in how landowners and farmers use and dispose of fertilisers and slurry.

Long-Term Impact and Urgency

Even with immediate changes, it will take over two decades for nutrient levels to drop to acceptable levels. Meanwhile, Lough Neagh risks suffering more irreversible ecological damage.

Our Objective

Our goal is to restore Lough Neagh to a safe, enjoyable, and vibrant place while working towards long-term nutrient runoff reduction. I learned to sail on the lough and hope future generations can do the same.

Achieving Balance with Proven Technology

We propose a straightforward solution using proven technology that won’t burden the lough. This approach aims to restore a balanced, sustainable ecosystem without ongoing costs or the need for decommissioning facilities.

Economic Viability

Any solution must be economically viable. Restoring the lough to a clean, biodiverse space should not result in unsustainable financial commitments for the community.

The Three-Pronged Approach

01

Rapid Response Unit

A Rapid Response Unit can deliver a measured concentration of Hypochlorous Acid (HOCL) directly onto algae blooms. HOCL, produced at 2000ppm, can kill algae in water at just 1ppm, preventing thick layers of algae from washing up on shores and marinas. This approach reduces the environmental impact and prevents oxygen depletion caused by decaying algae. Each unit can deliver over 500,000 liters of HOCL at 10ppm, effectively stopping algae blooms. Land-based units could be trailers towed by vehicles, while lough-based units would be specially designed RIBs equipped with tanks, pumps, and spraying equipment for quick deployment in shallow areas.

02

Treating The Rivers

To help Lough Neagh recover, the incoming water needs to be as algae-free as possible. A network of perforated pipes on riverbeds can deliver ozone across the width of rivers without disrupting recreational or commercial use. This ozone curtain will kill algae before it enters the lough, with excess ozone creating algae-free zones at river mouths. This clean, oxygenated water will support life and rejuvenate the ecosystem. On smaller rivers, HOCL can be sprayed from the shore to maximize effectiveness. A single HOCL generator can produce 3,000,000 liters at 2ppm, significantly reducing algae by the time water reaches the lough. When not in active use, rapid response units can patrol and spray HOCL to maintain water quality. This approach is an effective, visible, and low-cost response to Lough Neagh's environmental crisis.

03

Treating the waters of Lough Neagh

With algae-free rivers flowing into Lough Neagh, treating the lough itself becomes manageable. Self-navigating small craft, similar to robot lawn mowers, would deliver ozone throughout the lough. Using the lough's water, these crafts would pump algae-filled water through treatment chambers, returning it clean, nutrient-free, and oxygenated. This process kills algae and oxygenates the water. Combined with treating incoming water, this method could reduce nutrient levels in the lough to safe levels within seven years. However, reducing runoff remains crucial to achieve a sustainable ecosystem. This innovative technology would position Northern Ireland as a leader in algae control, creating local jobs in manufacturing and distribution.

The Two Technologies

As a direct consequence of the COVID 19 pandemic, two separate but complimentary technologies have been developed that revolutionise our ability to control algae levels in large bodies of water.

Hypochlorous Acid (HOCL)

Discovered in 1834, hypochlorous acid is a well-known disinfectant that, although harsh sounding, is actually produced in the human body as part of our immune system. Sold over-the-counter as a facial spray to kill bacteria, there are no known side effects.
Hypochlorous Acid is used extensively as a disinfectant in swimming pools. It has tested to be 80% more powerful at 50 parts per million than chlorine bleach at 200 parts per million. It is highly effective at killing bacteria such as cyano-bacteria, also known as blue-green algae.
A new system has been developed that produces very pure hypochlorous acid at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. This innovative production method not only produces hyper pure HOCL but the resulting solution has an extended shelf life. It is a win-win. HOCL can be produced on site and is totally non-toxic. This makes it an ideal solution to be used in environmentally sensitive areas.
If the concentration of HOCL in Lough Neagh was as little as 1ppm, the problems of algae blooms would be irradicated with no adverse environmental effects.

Ozone

Ozone (O3) is known as the best method for decontaminating water. Produced on site as a gas, ozone will not only kill algae and any other bacteria, but it will also reoxygenate the water as it goes.
A new method of producing ozone has been developed in the UK. Known as ARCS, this method will use water from the lough to produce the ozone.
ARCS was further developed to target various impurities in waste water streams from the oil industry and the marine shipping industry. The parameters of the process can be adapted to remove all the nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrients from the waters of Lough Neagh.
It is now possible to completely remove nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrients from the waters of Lough Neagh.
The only way to control the algae blooms in Lough Neagh in the long term is to reduce the nutrient levels. We all know, if left to nature it will be many years before the nutrient run-off from the land can be brought under control.
Even then the residual nutrient load in the sediment of the lough will take decades to reduce to acceptable levels.
The ARCS Technology gives us a totally safe and environmentally friendly way of not only re-oxygenating the water but also reducing the nutrient levels to a point where algae blooms can no longer cause an environmental disaster.
This technology has the potential to reduce the time taken for the nutrient levels to return to a sustainable level from an estimated 25 years to within 7 years.

Proposed Trial Areas

01

Lough Gullion

Also known locally as “The wee Lough” Lough Gullion is a shallow lough with a surface are of approx. 1.3km2. Located to the South-West of Lough Neagh it drains into the river Bann.

02

Lough Beg

Translated as the Little Lough, it a surface area of 5 km2 and a depth of only 1-2 meters. This can vary greatly depending on recent rainfall. The Lower Bann river flows through Lough Beg at a rate of approx. 90m3 per second. This is the main river flowing out of Lough Neagh.

03

Kinnego Marina Basin

An area of Lough Neagh itself and with a surface area of approx. 1km2 it is located at the Southern end of the lough. Used extensively for water sports and tourism it is home to the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre.