Rio Cobre back to normal - NEPA

The Rio Cobre in St Catherine has returned to "ambient condition" says The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), following a pollution incident linked to a fish kill on March 15.

The state watchdog said it is now investigating the source of the pollution.

It said a post-incident assessment was conducted on March 19.

"The agency observed that samples taken along the affected areas recorded pH values ranging from 7.3 to 8.1, which is within background levels of 7.18 to 8.71," a statement said on Monday. The pH scale measures acidity on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral, values below 7 indicating acidity, and values above 7 indicating basicity (alkalinity).

NEPA's said its initial investigation into the pollution indicated that "the source of the contamination may be due to an alkaline substance" and that the team observed that "the water was cloudy and gave off a pungent odour.:

The pollution occurred between the communities of Zepherton and Vanity Fair along the Rio Cobre.

Lobby group Jamaica Environmetn Trust (JET) has raised concerns about the latest incident.

JET, in a media release on March 18, the grouo said river is a critical water source for at least 150,000 people in Kingston and St Andrew and supports domestic, agricultural, and recreational use, as well as local fisheries.

It said the recurring environmental disaster raises serious questions about the effectiveness of pollution prevention measures and accountability for those responsible.

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