The Selangor Menteri Besar’s recent claim that water sourced from abandoned mining ponds is safe for human consumption is problematic. At present, eight pumps are drawing 400 MLD of fresh water from these abandoned mining ponds in order to fill the Sungai Selangor dam.
The MB is reported to have said that mining pond water is cleaner than river water and the Health Department sees no health concerns and therefore it is safe for human use.
I have received many phone calls of concern from people including health professionals who are not convinced of the MBs argument. They are requesting health certification from the Ministry of Health and chemical content details of these mine-ponds.
There is a fear that these abandoned mine-ponds have over the years become depositories of polluting and toxic substances including radioactive material. Most of the mine-ponds would not have been managed or treated for rehabilitation.
This notion is supported by research in other countries where abandoned mines discharge mine water containing heavy metals and other metals and know to contaminate rivers, and lakes.
Thus transferring contaminated water to Sungai Selangor would tantamount to polluting the river. And most importantly, the treatment plants are not equipped to clean heavy metals and toxic substances. Such a scenario has a tendency to create a major health crisis.
Thus I call upon the Selangor state government to make public the Health Department’s report on the status for each of the mine-ponds. Furthermore, the report should detail the chemical content including polluting or toxic substances, if any, in the various mines.
This would help to alleviate concerns from the public.