Bleaching the river...

Akerselva floats through the city, 8.2 kilometers long and with a drop of 149 meters. The river has been the traditional, somewhat simplified border between the east and the west of Oslo, creating an economical and a sosionomical difference between the two parts. It was along this river the industry in Oslo was established and it played an important part in the development of the industrial Oslo.
In the 1970s Akerselva was highly contaminated after 150 years of industrial and sewage discharges along river. In the 1980's, a local program to limit emissions and get the animal and fish life back to river was innitiated. Both the river and the areas along it has taken part in a massive transformation, from a dirty, run-down industrial area to a park and residential area, the transformation was an ecological success.
At the mouth of the river, Oset water treatment plant, owned by Oslo's water and wastewater services, was up and running in 2008 and supplies drinking water to 90 percent of the population in Oslo. Couple of days ago, a leak in one of the tubes containing chlorine was spotted, before it got stopped 6,000 liters of pure chlorine was released into the river. This is the equivalent to 240,000 bottles of regular household bleach. The spill has killed nearly 100% of all aquatic life in Akerselva, so far the observers has spotted only one living fish in the river. NIVA has started investigations to find out how much of the bottom mud is contaminated since this is the most vital part in the ecological system creating the river and thus securing food for the fish. Earlier, contaminated discharges have previously been from the industry in the lower parts, and then the upper parts have been spared, so that have helped the river to recover faster, but now it seems that all parts of the river is infected and it is uncertain when the aquatic life in the river will stabilize. No matter how careful we try to act , accidents do occur…