The lagoon was divided by the construction of a Dam and a road two, the trucks drive to a nearby factory. A few months ago the people noticed for the first Time, that the water began to color on the one side of the road and fish and birds died. “Three months ago all the fish died in the lagoon, thousands and thousands,” said local resident Herminia Meza. “The stench was unbearable and we were overwhelmed by the fly. About a month ago, the Heron died, and it is this reddish color came from.“
The residents turned to the environmental authority, the extracted samples. Francisco Ferreira, laboratory technician at National University, said Wednesday that the color of the water was due to heavy metals, such as chromium, which is used in the leather production, for coloring of animal skins. The tannery Waltrading is on the edge of the lagoon.
The Ministry of environmental protection and Sustainable development, said the local ABC station, the tannery was responsible. During a previous visit, a pipe had been discovered, the tribe, probably, of the tannery, and untreated sewage in the lagoon run. The tannery declined to comment.
