Dead fish float down Palmiet
Reported pollution along the Palmiet River seems to have reversed the hard work of community members and environmentalists.
ENVIRONMENTALISTS and community members were furious and devastated when they noticed dead fish floating in the Palmiet River, near Essex Place in Westville on Friday, 1 August.
The fish reportedly died in a five kilometre stretch of river between Essex Place and the Palmiet Nature Reserve.
In recent months the Palmiet River Watch (initiated by Lee D’Eathe, a Westville North resident ) has noticed a slight improvement in the river’s water quality.
Warren Friedman, an honorary ranger and member of the Palmiet Nature Reserve management committee, recently spotted lots of Yellowtail fish and shrimp thriving in the river’s “clear water”.
D’Eathe said, “The respite was short lived and four river water pollution events had been noticed some 10 kilometres upstream by the Palmiet River Watch, and reported to the authorities.”
The recent river pollutions that were reported include, grey water and sewerage smell on Halifax Road, a sewerage pump station overflow in Blair Road on Monday 21 July and a blue discolouration in Harley Street on Wednesday, 23 July.
On Saturday, 30 July a milky discolouration was also reported on Cherry Road and Ambleside Lane residents also reported a “thick, dark green and bubbly” substance polluting the river.
According D’Eathe, the toxins polluting the river after pipe bursts, industrial dumping and sewage pump station and blockages are not only physically poisoning the organisms in the river, but the dirty water and suspended particles can also block out the sunlight, “upsetting the normal processes”.
Contact Lee D’Eathe on 083 461 5964 or 031 262 3753.
