DA councillor Jason McDowell called for calm and patience on Sunday when he met Abbotsford residents clamouring to know why the fish in their freshwater section of the Nahoon River suddenly went belly up and died.
Even the hardy barbel species, which can exist in rivers with low oxygen levels, died in large numbers.
McDowell told a group of eight concerned property owners living close to the bank of the river in Allan Street, Abbotsford: “ Until we know those test results we cannot be sure of our next step, so for now let's wait.”
He said water samples had been taken from the river but he did not know the results or who had them. The results would be revealed this coming week, he said.
Speaking to the Dispatch on the phone before the meeting, McDowell said there was confusion about which government authority was in charge of that section of the river.
He said: “It's a crossover between provincial, national and municipal. My hands are tied. We are getting nowhere with this at the moment.” At the meeting, residents spoke to the Dispatch of their fears that raw sewage in the river was the cause of the die-off and this could be a serious health hazard.
The residents believe hyacinth plants – which cover a huge part of the contaminated section – may have caused the death of the fish.
Resident Liesl Keen, 42, said the proliferation of the alien water-based weed sucked the oxygen out of the water, causing fish to die.
Keen was worried about the impact on bird life. “The kingfisher, fish eagle and cormorant can't dive into the water to catch fish because they [fish] are dead and the ducks can't move around.”
The leader of the concerned group, Que Hundermark, who first filmed the flotilla of dead fish, said he was mobilising other residents to get into the water with their boats and rip out the suffocating hyacinth.
“We will first get confirmation from Rhodes Professor Martin Hill, an expert on invasive alien plants, about a date when he will come down and help us. We want advice from him. We are also willing to get into the water, root out the plant, let it dry, and burn it.”
Hundermark whose property rests on the banks of the river, fears an outbreak of water-borne diseases. He feels the contaminated water is going over the causeway into the Nahoon estuary.
“Before we get in the water, we need to know that it is not contagious. We suspect sewage is there as well, which carries harmful bacteria like e Coli.”
Buffalo City Metro spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya could not be reached for comment at the time of going to print on Sunday. Last week he said he could not comment on the issue...