Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company (Kiwasco) has advised its clients against treating tap water with chlorine to avoid consuming too much of the chemical.
Kiwasco, in a message to more than 200,000 clients, said it had taken sufficient measures to treat the water abstracted from Lake Victoria, which is reeling from pollution due to rotting water hyacinth.
Years of infestation of the weed in the Winam Gulf, from where Kiwasco extracts water at Dunga Beach, has led to a rise in iron levels in the water.
Kiwasco said it had increased its treatment regimen of the heavily contaminated water and warned that further treatment at home could turn the water brown and expose users to ill health.
“We therefore advise customers not to post-chlorinate Kiwasco water, as this will lead to coloration of the water.
Growing concern Although the firm explained that the iron in the water pumped into homes was within accepted levels, concern grew over the accuracy of the claims.
SEE ALSO :Nyong’o office could claim more in budget Iron overload in the body can lead to liver, heart and pancreatic damage, as well as diabetes.
Early symptoms include fatigue, weight loss, and joint pain.
Excessive iron is never recommended for digestion; it can lead to stomach problems, nausea, vomiting and other issues, reads an article by the World Health Organisation.
Mr Odongo said rotting hyacinth used up oxygen on the water and released toxic metals such as iron, adding that aeration and removal of the metal was proving costly.