PUBLIC WARNED AGAINST CONSUMING FISH FROM ACID CONTAMINATED WATER BODIES

The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, in collaboration with relevant authorities, has confirmed severe water pollution in the Mwambashi Stream and Kafue River on the Copperbelt, resulting in mass fish deaths and posing serious risks to human and animal health.

Preliminary assessments indicate dangerously low pH levels, with water samples from Kafue Bridge in Kitwe registering a pH of 3, confirming high acidity.

In an official statement,  Ministry Principal Public Relations Officer, Benny Munyama, strongly warns the public against consuming fish from the Kafue River and other affected water bodies, citing the presence of acidic effluents and heavy metal contamination.

“The contamination poses significant health risks, making fish from these waters unsafe for human consumption,” Munyama has stated.