DOE Sounds Alert Over Declining Water Quality in the New River 

The Department of the Environment is investigating a decline in water quality in the New River. The DOE is warning that recent changes could threaten aquatic life as Belize experiences drier-than-usual conditions. 

In a statement issued on Friday, the DOE said its monitoring station on the New River had recorded a gradual decline over the previous three days. The changes involve “Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP), conductivity, salinity, and chlorophyll-a,” the DOE said. 

It added, “The observed trends may pose risks to aquatic organisms and the overall health of the New River ecosystem.” 

The DOE has sent staff to survey the river and collect samples for lab testing. The goal is to confirm the readings, trace possible sources, and decide whether remedial action is needed.

The department pointed to drier-than-usual weather, stating, “Reduced rainfall and associated changes in river flow can influence water quality and may contribute to changing conditions in rivers across the country.” 

DOE Sounds Alert Over Declining Water Quality in the New River 

This warning comes weeks after the department presented its investigation findings into the previous documented fish kill along a 17.5-mile stretch of the Belize River. At a September 11 public information session in Double Head Cabbage, Chief Environmental Officer Anthony Mai said the incident was linked to a high organic load entering the river over a short period, triggering algae growth and reducing dissolved oxygen. 

The DOE is asking residents and river users to report changes in water colour, unusual smells, distressed fish or fish kills.