Stakeholders in Lake Naivasha have called for a detailed study of the water body after revelations that fish from Lake Nakuru is unfit for human consumption.
They said they are anxious because rising water levels in the lake has flooded the area, including submerging tens of latrines in Kihoto estate.
On Monday, the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute revealed that fish from Nakuru had high levels of metals, which could be harmful to consumers.
This was attributed to sewage from Nakuru town finding its way into the water body that is home to thousands of flamingos.
Lake Naivasha Water Resources User Association (LANARUA) chairman Enock Kiminta said, “It’s evident that there is pollution in Lake Naivasha from informal estates that have been flooded. Kemfri should conduct further studies on the effects of this.”
Kiminta said they had engaged the county government to move with haste and upgrade the sewer system in the area, which was constructed in the early 1980s.
“The current sewer system was meant to serve around 50,000 people but this has increased tenfold and the waste is not fully treated, hence the current crisis,” he said.
Water Resources Authority subregional manager Jeremiah Nyaga said over 99 per cent of hotels and flower farms had adhered to the water treatment regulations.
He said environmental laws had been set to guide stakeholders on the treatment of waste water to avoid cases of pollution around the troubled water body.
“The Water Resources Authority is impressed by the manner in which these flower farms are treating their solid and water waste which is in conformity with the law,” he said.
Agriculture CAS Linah Kilimo said according to studies, fish from Lake Nakuru rot within three hours while consumers interviewed had complained of skin rashes.
“The report from Kemfri confirms that fish from Lake Nakuru is unfit for human consumption, and may cause diseases in the future,” she said.
