Litani River Authority's team finds new pollution spots in Lake Qaraoun

The Litani River Authority has published on its Twitter account a video showing new spots of pollution in Lake Qaraoun.  

The technical team from the Litani River Authority went to inspect the lake water and take samples, as it was found that the resulting pollution was the result of bacterial growth in the lake that led to the formation of brown algae, which drifted towards the shores of the lake due to wind and waves.  

🎥بقع مستجدة من التلوث في #بحيرة_القرعون.. والمصلحة الوطنية لنهر الليطاني تتحرك !!#المصلحة_الوطنية_لنهر_الليطاني pic.twitter.com/pSX14lPSM5

— Litani River Authority (@LRALitani) April 10, 2023

The technical team worked to take samples from the lake water and send them to the Khirbet Qanafar laboratory of the Litani River Authority to determine the type of bacteria causing pollution.   

The authority stated that the results of the tests would be issued as soon as they were received, noting that many similar cases have been monitored in global lakes and were due to high water fertility.  

The bacteria cause brown scum to appear in the lake as a sign of algal blooms, which in turn is caused by an excess of nutrients in the water, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which can come from agricultural runoff or the discharge of untreated sewage.  

The authority also notes that some types of algae can produce toxins that may harm humans, pets, and wildlife. If ingested at specific concentrations, these toxins can cause skin irritation, respiratory problems, and even liver damage.