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A threat to public health: Contaminated irrigation water used to grow vegetable crops – Noticias
1:28 CAT | 28 Sep 2016
Noticias (File photo)
The health of consumers of the vegetables from the Mulaúze Valley, between Maputo and Matola cities, may be in danger from vegetables irrigated with water from the river Mulaúze and drainage ditches carrying pollutants including even human excreta, Notícias reports.
Producers however, see no wrong in their irrigation practices and say that they are a response to the water scarcity, which has intensified due to the drought, and say that what they do is normal and that they themselves eat the vegetables.
The Directorate of Agriculture in Maputo says that it would be for them to use water from secondary channels rather than water from the Mulaúze or drainage ditch, as these receive waste discharges from workshops, car service stations and even septic tanks along Avenue Joaqim Chissano. Since 2011, the Mulaúze has received discharges from the Zimpeto waste water treatment station.
Maputo health department of warns that consumption of vegetables irrigated with water carrying microorganisms may result in diseases, especially diarrhea and cholera.
Irrigation systems are far from meeting the needs of farmers, and the situation has worsened recently, with secondary channels drying up.
Agriculture data indicates that Maputo needs at least 84 new irrigation systems, but the goal is to build 34 by 2019. At this time there are three operating in the KaMavota and KaMubukwane districts and five more, including one in Katembe, are expected to be operational by December.
Meanwhile, several markets in the city and province of Maputo, including South Africa, are being supplied with vegetables such as lettuce, kale, cabbage and peppers produced along the Mulaúze, especially near where it joins the drainage ditch by the 2M brewery.
Farmers “serene”
The producers of the Infulene Valley, such as Victorino Tamele and Ernesto Mungoi, say they see no problem using the Mulaúze and drainage ditch to water their produce.
They recalled that some farmers in the past having piped water connections, but the public water company had cut off supply, probably for contractual reasons.
Mungoi said that the quality of the water used by the farmers was periodically checked by the authorities, who had not so far imposed any restriction on its use for irrigation of crops, including lettuce and pepper.
The two growers nevertheless recommend washing all produce before eating.
Solution hostage to irrigation systems
Sergio Valentim, the Director of Agriculture for Maputo, is aware that crops are watered from the Mulaúze and drainage ditch and recognises that the situation is due to the ongoing drought.
Valentim explained that under normal circumstances the farmers would use water from side channels, which only reach the river after the fields. But because of low rainfall, farmers have ended up using Mulaúze water which “is contaminated by discharges from various industries in the area and even by septic tanks of homes nearby”.
“The solution of the problem is the construction of irrigation systems and we are already working on it,” he said.
The capital’s green belt requires at least 84 new irrigation systems, but by 2019 only 34 are to be. At this point in time, there are three operating in the KaMavota and KaMubukwane townships and Katembe is expected to have five more by December, irrigating 13 hectares.
The three systems currently irrigate nearly 100 hectares. With the five systems under construction, 86 further hectares will produce seven annual cycles, against the current two or three currently, according to Valentim.
The risk of bringing contamination to the table
Doctor Alice Abreu has warned families of the risk putting contaminated food on the table, risking diseases including diarrhea and cholera.
The doctor warned that the danger increases with salad vegetables which are not boiled, such as lettuce, pepper and tomato. Speaking to Noticias, the doctor urged consumers to wash vegetables properly and to buy in appropriate places whenever possible.
Abreu also stresses the need to address the situation through the provision of safe irrigation water.
Source: Noticias
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