Municipal oxidation ponds vandalised in Ongwediva and Oshakati

The Ongwediva Town Council has cautioned the public to avoid buying or consuming dark brown Catfish (barbels) in the surrounding areas of Ongwediva and Oshakati, due to suspected damage of the municipal oxidation ponds by malicious members of the public, during the night of 2 May.

The ponds’ embankment was breached to create an outflow, presumably to catch catfish as they were washed out of the pond.

The Council said this could have been done with the intention to either eat or sell fish form the ponds. “We request the public to provide any information of anyone found selling fish with the corresponding description of the fish from the oxidation ponds to the council. We are currently repairing the embankment to prevent further flow of sewage water,” they added.

The Council further stated that the Oshakati and Ongwediva Town Councils build the joint municipal oxidation ponds to address sewage problems in both towns. Oxidation ponds, also called lagoons or stabilization ponds are large shallow ponds designed to treat waste water through the interaction of sunlight, bacteria and algae.