Residents in fear as Lake Solai turns blue, emits foul smell

Nakuru County Water and Food Control Officer Vincent Ng’ei collects water samples from Lake Solai for tests to ascertain the cause of a foul smell emanating from the lake. The water has also turned blue. PHOTO | MAGDALENE WANJA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Solai Chief Mark Mogotio said that it started a week ago when the water turned blue and started emitting a foul smell.
  • Livestock farmers complained that the water was too salty and that it posed a risk to their animals.
  • Rongai Sub-County Public Health Officer Ezekiel Cherer said they received information from the local administration of unusual changes in water colour and a foul smell.
  • Water and Food Control Officer Vincent Ng’ei said they had collected water samples from the shores of Lake Solai in order to ascertain the cause of the unusual change.

Hundreds of families in Rongai in Nakuru County are living in fear of what seems like the contamination that has resulted to foul smell and colouration of water in Lake Solai.

Solai Chief Mark Mogotio said that it started a week ago when the water turned blue and started emitting a foul smell.

He said that residents complained of headache and vomiting and they therefore took urgent measures to inform the Ministry of Health officers in Nakuru.

Livestock farmers complained that the water was too salty and that it posed a risk to their animals.

Ministry of Health officers from Nakuru County visited Lake Solai and took with them water samples from the areas that seem to be mostly affected.

Rongai Sub-County Public Health Officer Ezekiel Cherer said they received information from the local administration of unusual changes in water colour and a foul smell.

He pointed that, residents especially women, have been complaining of headache and vomiting.

FEAR OF CONTAMINATION

“Although the water is not used for human consumption, there is unusual water colour change and bad smell and residents have raised concern over the possibilities of contamination,” said Mr Cherer.

Water and Food Control Officer Vincent Ng’ei said they had collected water samples from the shores of Lake Solai in order to ascertain the cause of the unusual change.

“We are taking the samples to the government laboratories for chemical analysis and pathological results will be out in a week’s time,” he said.

Rongai Sub-county Environment Officer Kennedy Kirwa said that the unusual changes could be associated with decomposing vegetation in the lake but added that lab test results could show otherwise.

“We called the environment and public health officers to ascertain and ensure we are safe from the water that has characteristics of contamination,” said Mr Mugotio.

The lake which is a home to more than 200 bird species with one of them being the rare African Jacana is one of those affected by the swelling of the Rift valley lakes.

The area chief indicated that the Lake has been expanding, displacing hundreds of families. He said over 30 acres of his farm have been flooded.