Previously, inhabitants of the Smārde parish had complained about an unbearable smell emanating from the wastewater treatment facilities and the Šlokenberga pond, which is connected to a number of rivers - and also the Baltic Sea.
Several sources of the pollution have been named - the milk processing company Tukuma piens (Milk of Tukums), a dry-cleaner's that operates near the Slocene river for the second year, and perhaps illegal sewer exits. Pesticides have also been named a possible cause.
Plaude said that the pollution in the lake reaches two times over the allowed amounts for some chemicals, while amounts of others are six times over the norm.
Even though numerous fish are dying in the pond, and it is part of a protected area, experts have already found out that the pollution hasn't spread further.
It is also suspected that the wastewater treatment facilities operated by Tukuma ūdens (Water of Tukums) have malfunctioned, so perhaps the pollution has come from Tukuma piens.
The State Environment Service has set about finding the cause of the pollution, and results of the analyses will be available next week.
The dead fish are being scooped out of the pond, and currently about four tons have been removed.
