Cirata dam polluted

BANDUNG: The pollution of the Cirata dam water has reached alarming levels, with its acidity rate measured far below normal, an official said on Wednesday.

Budiman A.Pi, head of production unit of the West Java Fishery Office, said the dam water acidity (pH) had dropped to between 2 and 3, while the normal figure was 7.

He blamed the fish cultivation business in the dam compound for the abnormality.

Research conducted by his office indicated that the fish food contained potential pollutants, including Nitrogen, Sulfur and Phosphorous, he said.

In 1998 water pollution killed thousands of tons of fish in the dam. (25/sur)