Contaminated Water Affecting Villagers in Belize

Female hands pouring water in glass cup from a kitchen faucet. Woman hand's filling the glass of water. Filling glass of water from stainless steel kitchen faucet

May 30, 2022 | Colin O. Jarrett |

Several villagers in San Vincente, Toledo District in Belize have had to seek medical attention as a result of drinking contaminated water from the village’s water supply reservoir.

The Police and the Pesticide Control Board, PCB have been called in to investigate the drinking of this contaminated water

The PCB has indicated that between Sunday last week and Monday this week, a bottle of Malathion 57 EC formula was emptied in the village’s water supply reservoir which was not a registered formulation in Belize and had been illegally imported into the country.

The active ingredient is like a pesticide, a poison, whose unintended uses can be fatal or cause serious health issues for people.