Water from unused mining ponds that the Selangor state government intends to tap to solve the state's water shortage problems is "toxic", according to a New Straits Times report today.
The newspaper conducted its own laboratory tests on water samples its team sourced directly from the unused mining ponds in Bestari Jaya, and found that lead content in the water was 460 percent above the safe limit, and iron content was 554 percent above the limit.
The special report, headlined in the paper today, said that the NST team collected the samples from the mining ponds on Sunday and sent them for independent testing.
The results also showed high manganese and nickel content in the water.
The report also cited two studies by Universiti Malaya professors in 2010, which said the metal concentration in the water exceeded permissible levels by Malaysian Water Quality Standards.
This was previously reported by Malaysiakini on April 29, based on concerns raised by DAP's Klang MP Charles Santiago.
Selangor gov't: The water is safe
Santiago (right) had warned the state government of the health implications of its current exercise, but the state government consistently maintained that the water from the mining ponds were safe to be channelled to the water treatment plant.
NST also obtained a response from Selangor's executive councillor for Youth, Sports, Infrastructure and Public Amenities, Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi, who reportedly admitted that the tests conducted on the water by the state and Health Department authorities did not cover possible metal and chemical traces.
In fact, Ahmad Yunus was reported to have said that the tests for chemical and metal traces were only sent out to the labs "over a week ago", while promising to make the results public once it is out.
He also admitted that the water treatment plant cannot filter metal pollutants in the water.
"Not if the concentration level is high. Water from sources that are safe will be treated," he was quoted as saying.
The newspaper conducted its own laboratory tests on water samples its team sourced directly from the unused mining ponds in Bestari Jaya, and found that lead content in the water was 460 percent above the safe limit, and iron content was 554 percent above the limit.
The special report, headlined in the paper today, said that the NST team collected the samples from the mining ponds on Sunday and sent them for independent testing.
The results also showed high manganese and nickel content in the water.
The report also cited two studies by Universiti Malaya professors in 2010, which said the metal concentration in the water exceeded permissible levels by Malaysian Water Quality Standards.
This was previously reported by Malaysiakini on April 29, based on concerns raised by DAP's Klang MP Charles Santiago.
Selangor gov't: The water is safe
Santiago (right) had warned the state government of the health implications of its current exercise, but the state government consistently maintained that the water from the mining ponds were safe to be channelled to the water treatment plant.NST also obtained a response from Selangor's executive councillor for Youth, Sports, Infrastructure and Public Amenities, Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi, who reportedly admitted that the tests conducted on the water by the state and Health Department authorities did not cover possible metal and chemical traces.
In fact, Ahmad Yunus was reported to have said that the tests for chemical and metal traces were only sent out to the labs "over a week ago", while promising to make the results public once it is out.
He also admitted that the water treatment plant cannot filter metal pollutants in the water.
"Not if the concentration level is high. Water from sources that are safe will be treated," he was quoted as saying.
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