By Matṧeliso Phulane
Consumers of fish caught at the suspiciously contaminated Maqalika dam face a possible health risk, it has emerged.
The stunning revelation was laid bare this week by the department of water affairs under the ministry of natural resources.
In an on-going investigation carried out through tests of Maqalika dam water, it has been discovered that lack of sufficient dissolved oxygen in the water was a main cause for the death of countless fish in the dam recently.
The fish were identified to be the common carp fish type.
A hydrologist from the ministry of natural resources and water affairs, Nthati Toae, has suggested that the conducted water tests showed a lack of dissolved oxygen to be inhaled by the fish to survive.
“The nutrients found in the water lead to plants growth such as algae, as a result that causes disruption of aquatic species including fish to breathe enough oxygen to survive as such plants consume much of it at night,” she explained.
According to Toae, water samples were taken across the dam with her team soon after reports of fish found dead on the shores of the dam and then sold to unsuspecting consumers.
Apart from that, she said the results confirmed that there is excessive pollution inside the dam forcing the team to continue research on the quality of dam water.
Already, the tests have shown that some elements present in the resource may be dangerous to human health if one consumes fish from the dam.
The team is still carrying on more investigations as some of the results show that some of the elements found in the water “may be dangerous to human health if consumed the fish from the dam.”
“Among other chemicals we found from the tests were metals. We suspect that those heavy metals went through the fish body and affected them. We also collected mud from the dam to do more tests on heavy metals to check their quantity, quality and excessiveness.”
“The toxic heavy metals we found in the water, which are about recommended limit for the fish include: chromium, aluminum, copper, manganese and iron. However, we are not sure if they have affected the fish or not as they are found in the water.
“That is why we took the sample of sediments to check their amount in there as well as in the fish,” she said.
The research shows that types of heavy metals commonly found in water include manganese, lead, arsenic, chromium and copper.
The tabloid has learned that some of these heavy metals are essential for healthy biochemical function. But metals such as lead, chromium and arsenic can be toxic when ingested in small or large quantities
Toae is eager that more results are analysed from the fish which are still alive in the dam to determine whether such metals are harmful or not to humans who consume such fish, That, she added, will determine whether such type of fish is resistant to the dangers of contaminated water.
Again, she was not firm whether such pollution was a result of water flowing from the streams above the dam or not.
“We cannot confirm where pollution comes from since we are yet to find out from more dams flowing from higher level to Maqalika dam which is at a lower level,” Toae observed
For health safety, the hydrologist indicated that the water in Maqalika dam is not the one used for domestic purpose as the water transferred through tunnels to Maseru and other areas is sourced from the Metolong dam.
In addition, it is envisaged that the toxicity of the water will also be determined in order to establish whether such fish can be consumed.
While on the verge of kick-starting awareness campaigns on the possible dangers of eating fish from the dam, she warned against polluting the facility as it poses risks to human health.
Fishermen who make a living out of fishing at Maqalika dam are concerned that the closure of the dam has extremely affected their business now that they are unable to fish and sell their catch.
In an interview with theReporter this week, one of the fishermen from Khubetsoana, Boinyatso Neo Rakuoane said through fishing at the dam was able to raise enough money to put bread on the table..
Currently, he sells fruits along the main North I road but said he was unable to make enough money to fend for his living unlike at the time he was engaged in fishing exercise.
Rakuoane further indicated that they had to stop selling fish with other fishermen soon after the statement was alerted to avert putting other people’s lives at risks.
“We suspect that some of the harmful chemicals spilled inside the water might have affected the fish to die. Again, now that there is too much rain the chemicals might have flowed from the dumping side of Ha Tṧosane to the dam; thus affecting fish life,” he said
Rakuoane argued that customers might be reluctant to buy their catch as they might suspect the fish being sold was from the controversial dam.
He urged for purification of water in order to get rid of undesirable chemicals so as to enable them to return to their day-to-day fishing activities.
