Today was observed as World Water Day with activities and celebration across the world including Belize. But residents who live along the Sibun River had few reasons to celebrate because their water supply is contaminated. It is a story we have reported on twice before and most recently on March 10th as the Fresh Catch Fish Farm was found responsible due to leakage from one of its fishponds. But today the 7NEWS team was once again called out to Gracie Rock and Freetown Sibun. Keith Swift has the story on the effect that the green water is having on these communities.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Freetown Sibun is one of the longest established communities along the Sibun River. This former slave settlement runs along the stately Sibun River which today looks emerald green. That would be nice if this was the sea but it's a
river and green means algae bloom, the product of pollution.
Bernard Viratol, Freetown Sibun Resident
"I born and grow up in Freetown Sibun and this is the first time I see the river look like this."
Bernard Viratol has lived here for his entire life and today he showed me his spot on the river which runs right past his backyard. He says the river has never looked nor smelled this bad.
Bernard Viratol,
"It used to look very clear and beautiful. It used to look blue, especially at this time you could see down in the bottom there clearly. It used to be blue and when you drink it, it tasted like rainwater. Now its dark and 'renkish.' It smells 'renk' when you dip it and if you bathe with it, it makes your skin smell renk and its like salt on your skin."
And it is much the same upriver in Gracie Rock village. Today the water seems to be clearing up but you can still clearly see a film of green over it. A group of villagers took me down to the banks of the Sibun where they showed me what has become of their river.
Lindbergh Humes, Gracie Rock Villager
"One time the water used to crystal and then now it is like this so all the sticks and all the stones they stand the same way."
John Brakeman, Gracie Rock Villager
"This water always gets green and when it gets green it is a thing because you can't drink it, you can't cook with it, you can't wash, you can't bathe, and nothing you can't do with it because it's a mess brother."
And for these people, it is not a casual complaint, the river is their way of life.
John Brakeman,
"We use the water to wash, cook, bathe, etc. When it comes green we still have to use it because we can't do no better. This is from creation. From we born we are using it up until this moment and now they are polluting the water and after this it is the people who will dead out after this. They (people) are complaining about pain a belly, loose stools, and things like that."
Keith Swift,
And they continue using the water?
John Brakeman,
"Yes because that's their only way to survive by using this same polluted water."
Lindbergh Humes,
"I boiled the water yesterday eveinng and it still gave me pain a belly up until this morning. Right now I haven't boiled any for this afternoon so this is what we still have to drink. Right now we need for them to come and check about our health."
Bernard Viratol,
"We use the same water."
Keith Swift,
Eventhough it's contaminated?
Bernard Viratol,
"Yes we still have to use it 'cause that is what we depend on."
Clifton Brakeman, Gracie Rock Resident
"It gave some of the little kids diarrhea. I would really them to come and check on those people up there (up the river). It will be better for us down here because we don't have any vat and that is what we live off of."
And while they live on it, Belizeans, particularly city residents, feast off the Sibun as an accessible, recreational swimming area - particularly during the Easter time.
John Brakeman,
"Yes they sure do because it's a hot day so they still try and enjoy the little bit that they have until it gets real polluted that we can't use it no more."
Carlton Humes, Gracie Rock Resident
"And this river when it comes to this season right now, Easter, a lot of folks from the city and all over come to enjoy this water. I hope they don't mess it up for the couple days that are left."
And while they hope it clears for Easter, really for these men of the Sibun who know the river's ebb and flow, and know her turbid brown in the wet season and her crystal blue in the dry, they know this is not the Sibun they grew up with. They know this carpet of green on bottom and the thick film of algae on top is not the true Sibun and they wait for her return.
John Brakeman,
"Water is the source of life so once they damage the water we get damage too."
The Department of Environment did not know of this latest occurrence of algae bloom until we called them today. They promise to go and look at it tomorrow. Past occurrences of algae bloom have been traced to effluent runoff a Tilapia Farm in the La Democracia Area which pollute the river. The residents are appealing to their Area Representative Ralph Fonseca who they say have interceded on their behalf before.
