Malaria threat to coast?
Should the growth of the water hyacinth be linked to raw sewage spillage into the river, the water would also have to be tested for E.coli.
MILLIONS of people have died in Africa because of the little anopheles mosquito. Now there are very real fears that we are unwittingly creating the ideal environment for these malaria carriers to breed right on our doorstep.
Thankfully, we are not there yet. But, Widehnham residents, are mosquitoes bugging you more than usual? Guess what, your river might just have been polluted, causing the sudden boom.
Countless aquatic species indigenous to the Widenham River are at risk of dying following the massive and swift growth of water hyacinth.
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The cause of the growth of the water hyacinth has not yet been established. However, the eThekwini Municipality has been notified of the growth.
The process, also known as ‘eutrophication’, if left unchecked, could result in an entire river being consumed by the plant.
As a result, sunlight is unable to ‘feed’ native aquatic plants and oxygen is drained from water. Water toxicity level increases as a result of dying fish and the stench could also become unbearable.
A sudden boom in the mosquito population is also to be expected as they are commonly found in plant-infested waters.
But these are not the only concerns locals have.
Should the growth of the water hyacinth be linked to raw sewage spillage into the river, the water would also have to be tested for E.coli.
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Another concern is that a water hyacinth is a suitable breeding habitat for malaria-carrying mosquito larvae and, despite good malaria control efforts, it should be noted that KwaZulu-Natal provides conditions that are suitable for malaria transmission.
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In order to maintain its growth, the water hyacinth would continue to drain oxygen from the river.
The presence of this plant in the Widenham River is of particular concern as it is found in waters rich in nutrients. These typically come from raw sewage spills, waste water works discharged before being adequately treated, or fertiliser overflow from farms.
Commonly used control methods to eradicate water hyacinth infested waters from infestations include biological, physical and chemical controls.
However, these methods depend on the conditions of the area, including the extent of the infestation, local climate as well as the proximity of the water hyacinth to nearby indigenous wildlife as well as the human population.
eThekwini Municipality is yet to provide comment on the matter.
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