Zoundweogo: The High Commissioner of Zoundweogo Province, Julien Ouedraogo, has ordered the immediate suspension of operations at the Simplified Drinking Water Supply well in the commune of Nobere. This decision follows the discovery of an arsenic level thirty-three times higher than the permitted limit.

According to Burkina Information Agency, residents of Nobere are being urged to stop consuming water from the local water utility's borehole. This information comes from an official letter from the High Commissioner, addressed to the President of the Special Delegation of the commune.

Analyses conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Fisheries Resources in the Nazinon region have revealed that the water from the well supplying the Nobere water supply system is contaminated with arsenic. The findings show a concentration of 330 µg/l, while the drinking water standard is set at 10 µg/l.

The infrastructure in question serves a network comprising seven drinking fountains and twenty-eight individual connections, with two fountains and eighteen connections currently active. Given the health risks posed by consuming this water, the High Commissioner deemed the cessation of distribution "imperative."

He instructed the Nobere Water Supply Directorate to take all necessary measures to expedite the immediate shutdown of the facility to protect public health. In line with these instructions, Pierre Kafando, the President of the Special Delegation of Nobere, immediately published a statement suspending the consumption of water from the installation.