DOE probes cause of dead fish in Sungai Damansara

 

The Department of Environment (DoE) is investigating the cause of dead fish in Sungai Damansara as reported on social media yesterday.

Selangor DOE director Nor Aziah Jaafar said the dead fish, mainly suckermouth catfish (Hypostomus plecostomus) and Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), were found over a five-kilometre stretch of the river.

She also said that an in situ tests at Sungai Kayu Ara near a log boom revealed foam in the river and the dissolved oxygen concentration was 4.5 milligrams per litre. Healthy water usually has dissolved oxygen concentrations of above 6.5 to 8 mg per litre.

Nor Aziah said the DOE had scoured the upstream and downstream stretches of the river for potential sources of pollution within a 10 km radius from the location where the dead fish were found.

This involved inspections at several food and beverage-based factories, commercial centres, stormwater discharges from residential areas and two public sewage treatment plants, she added.

Nor Aziah advised people who had information on the incident to come forward and assist the DOE in the investigation, saying the DOE always took firm action against environmental criminals.

Complaints of pollution can be reported via the DoE toll-free line at 1-800-88-2727 or email to aduan_k@doe.gov.my or the DoE e-complaint portal. - Bernama