Abidjan: Contaminated water from a gold mine on the coast of Piliori flows into the river through a broken valve, “slightly poisoning” 185 people.
The Kawally River, an important source of drinking water and fish for local residents, flows several hundred kilometers to the west of the country.
Local official Moussa Dao told AFP in late June that “a rupture of one of the mine’s pipes “allowed some water to flow into the river.”
“The notification was given directly to the local community by Endeavor Mining,” said Dao, adding that “the dead fish was found the next day.”
Dao said 185 people were “slightly poisoned” and reported “swelling and vomiting” at the Ouyatouo Village Health Center where they were treated.
He said there have been no new infections since then.
The country’s environment ministry confirmed Tuesday that the accident was caused by a “broken valve” in a pipe carrying cyanide-laced mud from mining operations, which spilled into the river near the Kawally stream.
The contamination is said to have caused “vomiting and headaches” for residents, as well as “massive fish kills”.
According to local chief Celestine Balla, people who have been eating water and fish every day since the incident “show symptoms of diarrhea, headaches and pain.”
In a statement to AFP on Tuesday, Endeavor Mining “completely rejects the allegations of mass pollution of the Kawally River and harming the local population.”
However, the group admitted to an incident where “a faulty valve … caused about three cubic meters of silt and sediment water to leak into the site’s diversion canal,” a small portion that could be discharged into the “Cawley River”.
In a statement on Sunday, he confirmed that the liquid had reached the river.
But Endeavor said it had replaced the faulty valve and was carrying out “monitoring and testing” to ensure the water in the river was not “contaminated”.
Dao said he has taken several measures, including banning the consumption of fish and drinking water from the river and providing drinking water to residents.
The Pilan Pollution Control Center has gone to the site for sampling and should report the results in the coming days.
