Several people who were admitted after consuming contaminated water yesterday in Mufuira are said to be in a stable condition.
Mufulira District Commissioner Dyford Muulwa confirmed to ZANIS that four out of five people who were admitted at Malcolm Watson hospital were discharged today.
Malcolm hospital has only one person still admitted while at Ronald Ross hospital the number of admissions has gone up from 10 to 15.
Mr. Muulwa said the other five people were admitted last night and the condition of all the people at the hospital is stable.
About 582 people yesterday were attended to at various health institutions in Mufulira after drinking contaminated water from Mopani Copper Mine Mufulira’s underground water.
The people complained of severe abdominal pains, general body pains, vomiting and other ailments.
And Mopani Copper Mine (MCM) says the spillage of the Pennant Liquor Solution (PLS) in the leaching section at Mufulira Mine caused the contamination of domestic underground water.
MCM has also said it has regretted the spillage of the acid solution in to the underground water supply system that supplies domestic water to residents in the former mine township areas.
MCM acting Chief executive officer Emmanuel Mutati said the amount of acid that leaked in to the domestic water supply that was consumed by most people was negligible to cause intoxication to human life.
PLS in an acidic solution that is used in the leaching process at the plant.
Mr. Mutati regretted that the spillage of the PLS in the main domestic water system was avoidable had precautionary measures been taken by the monitors within the operation section immediately when the pump failed.
The pump at 520 meter level that pumps the acidic solution into industrial water from the underground failed on Monday this week resulting in the solution to accumulate in the storage chambers and subsequently contaminated domestic water.
Mr. Mutati was briefing a team that was constituted by Copperbelt Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima to establish what led to the contamination of water in Mufulira.
The team comprised of the District Commissioner, Dyford Muulwa, Town Clerk, Charles Mwandila, Mulenga Water and Sewerage Company, Environmental Council of Zambia, and the Mine Safety department.
Mulonga water and Sewerage Company managing director Manuel Mutale said his company has been flushing out contaminated water from the pipes since yesterday after the pumps were shut down and will resume supply as soon as the acidity levels in the water stabilizes.
Residents in Butondo, Kankoyo, Kantanshi and part of Fairview in the town centre have had no water supply since yesterday.
Mr. Mutati said Mopani will install a back up pump at 520 meter level as a as a medium term solution to avoid future spillages.
The mine also intends to put an alarm system at 430 meter level, which will enable the monitors raise alarm when acidic levels are above normal.
“MCM acting Chief executive officer Emmanuel Mutati said the amount of acid that leaked in to the domestic water supply that was consumed by most people was negligible to cause intoxication to human life.” WHAT JOKES WHEN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HOSPITALISED DUE TO THE SAME CONTAMINATION?? AND THIS IS A ZAMBIAN SHIELDING FOREIGN OWNERS!!!???
I HOPE ECZ DOESNT BUY MUTATI’S STORY SINCE THE MINE CAPTAIN (FOREIGNER) ACCEPTED AND APOLOGISED FOR NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF THE MINE.
Mutati is a a typical representation of the boot licking culture in our society. He has to save his job and worship his masters even in the light of facts
2. Chocha
Not only do Mutati but evan govt. Officials will be defending these investors. What kind of govt. do we have?
#3 We have govt of ilendas lead by chipumputu presdo!!!
# 3 King David
Which Govt. official have you heard defend MCM on this matter?.
Do not be myopic learn to reason like someone who has seen the inside of a classroom.
$4 As for you coward Anonymous
You are again at it with your childish tantrums. I have told you time and again don’t waste your youth invest your time in books and aquiring knowledge it will do you and your unborn children a lot of good.
Let us be concerned about the water we drink and the air we breath. There is need for particular attention to be paid to both indogenous and exogenous safety issues in industry in general in Zambia. The input from a number of stakeholders in this area such as Govt through Environmental Council of Zambia and mining and industrial (line ministry) inspectorate; Investment Council and local government through municiparities. All industries (mine, agric. quarry, manufacturing) require constant checks
Our lawyers are also too docile. This is a good opportunity for draging MCM through the mud and making money out of it. The laws are there and ECZ has done it’s part. KCM and MCM are negligent. Negligency requires compesation for the damage it causes. The affected families don’t know this. It’s the moral job of the lawyers to step in educate the families about possible courses of redress, and take on these negligent giants with the families. Only then will the law prevail and be feared.
6 CITIZEN,
I have saud govt. officals “will be”, I did not say “have” or “have been”. can you not read or maybe you dont know what suppositions and tenses are. Bloggers help this man/woman understand.
Lets appreciate that the Chines have opened up a private Hospital and have brought their own doctors. Most Government Hospitals do not even have Zambian Doctors and Rural Health Centres cant even afford to hire a local nurse. Why should we pretented as if we have enough medical staff in the country. Most rural health centres are run by CDE’s – Office asstants who have aquired some exprience in dispensing drugs for minor illnesses by having worked alongside enrolled nurses for some time.
Moderator,
We have more effective eyes and expertise to read behavior than you do.One thing to bring up to your right is that running a public traffic domain is a very tedious and humiliating undertaking some time every costly to your interest.When the other camp is maliciously being accused of family tree leaders(hatred) and insulted, don’t expect the situated to turn passive. Your actions will give you up.
I have looked on the LT server and found the following articles under moderation. Moderation for what?
#9 King David
You say govt officials will be defending the investors . You even go ahead to ask what type of Govt do you have.
Your use of the word will means that it is an action which will take place it is definitive it is not supposition. If you had used the word “may” then it would have been supposition.
You needed to have been referred to a school which attends to people with learning disabilities such as the one in Kamwala.
#13 CITIZEN,
Thanks for the correction. But It is more than likely. To govt will sit in silence which is as good as defending. Look at the KCM and Chinese explosives accidents. The final alaysis, this govt will let the guys go scott free.
WHERE ARE WE HEADING TO AS A NATION?