Raw sewage posters at lough not official, says minister

Posters placed along the County Antrim coast telling people not to go into Belfast Lough, due to "raw sewage" have not been placed by a Stormont department and are "misleading", a minister has said.

The signs, purporting to be an "urgent public notice", describe Belfast Lough as "highly contaminated with raw sewage" and tell people not to go into the water or allow pets and children onto the beach.

However, Andrew Muir, the minister in charge of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera) said he did not know who had erected the posters.

"Significant and long-term action is needed to reverse the damage done and see necessary water quality improvement," Muir added.

In a social media post, Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson said the posters had been placed "at places along the shore line of Belfast Lough between Whiteabbey and Whitehead".

Daera said it was made aware of the posters on Monday and had informed NI Water.

In a statement, Muir said Belfast Lough was "much-loved by the communities who live beside it and is an essential habitat for local wildlife".

He said that he has prioritised "stronger regulation and enforcement" and he was "bringing forward new legislation to strengthen fines and penalties for water pollution offences".

"It is important that polluters are all held to account."

Muir acknowledged that there was a "concern about raw sewage being pumped" into the lough.

"We have designated bathing waters, for example in relation to Crawfordsburn and Helen's Bay, both myself and my sister will use that bathing spot," he said.

"So it's important if we are imparting information to the public it's accurate."

Information on bathing water quality by Daera can be found here.

BBC News NI has contacted NI Water for comment.