Voeren forgotten in pollution warning

6 August 2007

VOEREN – Dead fish were found in the Meus river and its tributary the Berwij in Voeren this last weekend after it was announced on Friday that a business in Liege had dumped pesticide in the water. A fishing ban was immediately announced in the Netherlands and Wallonia but Voeren was overlooked, according to Het Belang van Limburg.

The Vlaanders region had deployed inspectors along the Meus to warn fishers about the pollution. A fishing ban was apparently not necessary in Flanders. It was overlooked however that the Meus does flow briefly through Voeren on its way from Wallonia to the Netherlands.

Mayor Huub Broers took it upon himself to go out and warn fishers. Agreements have now been made with Flemish minister for the environment Hilde Crevits (CD&V) to avoid oversights like this in future.

Subject: Belgian news