Dam! Harties fish die

TESTS: POLLUTANTS ACCELERATE GROWTH OF HYACINTH, DEPLETE OXYGEN »» Magalies Water contracted to tackle plant growth, algae.

- Sipho Mabena

There is something fishy killing fish in the hyacinth-infested Hartbeesport Dam in the North West, with authorities unable to find the cause.

This is after a fish deaths incident occurred on 18 October at the canal of Venice Village Estate, in the dam area.

According to Magalies Water, which is responsible for the dam’s water quality management, the dead fish were buried on an unoccupied piece of land.

Magalies Water spokesperson David Magae said following the incident, their team responded promptly by collecting water samples on 22 October.

“The following day Magalies Water, together with the department of water and sanitation [enforcement and compliance unit] and the Madibeng municipality, conducted a site inspection. No visible signs or evidence was found to indicate the cause of the fish kill and water quality results did not reveal any abnormalities in the sampled water,” he said.