The National Environment & Planning Agency [NEPA]] says the Rio Cobre in St Catherine has returned to "ambient condition" or its normal state, arising from pollution, linked to a fish kill on March 15.
The state watchdog says it continues to investigate the source of the pollution.
It said a post-incident assessment was conducted on March 19.
In a media release on monday, NEPA said it observed that samples taken along the affected areas recorded pH values ranging from 7.3 to 8.1, which is within background levels of 7.18 to 8.71.
The pH scale measures acidity on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral, values below 7 indicating acidity, and values above 7 indicating basicity.
NEPA said its initial investigation into the pollution indicated that "the source of the contamination may be due to an alkaline substance" and that the team observed that "the water was cloudy and gave off a pungent odour".
The pollution occurred between the communities of Zepherton and Vanity Fair along the Rio Cobre.
Lobby group Jamaica Environment Trust has raised concerns about the latest incident.
JET said the river is a critical water source for at least 150,000 people in Kingston & St Andrew and supports domestic, agricultural, and recreational use, as well as local fisheries.
It said the recurring environmental disaster raises serious questions about the effectiveness of pollution prevention measures and accountability by those responsible.
comments powered by Disqus