South Africa: authorities investigating potential chemical spill in Boksburg Lake

South African authorities are investigating why Boksburg Lake turned red last week. They suspect a chemical leak from nearby factories. According to the Boksburg Advertiser, a team of specialists is collecting samples from the lake and sending them to the laboratory for analysis. The aim is to identify the substance that discoloured and polluted the water and the company responsible for it. The substance could have reached the lake through the concrete stormwater channel that runs through the industrial sites upstream. The Advertiser said the discoloured water came from underground drainage pipes. It then flowed into the channel next to the bridge on Campbell Road (Cason) before flowing down the channel to the lake inlet. Water discolouration was accompanied by a strong smell of rotting eggs, as confirmed by some residents. Security guards at the lake said they noticed the colour change in the afternoon on May 15. The deep rust colour gradually faded the following week.
The event is the latest in a series of similar incidents. The Advertiser had previously reported that the lake was found to be contaminated with what appeared to be a layer of oil that had made its way into the water, endangering the lake ecosystem.