A POISONOUS plume of acid ''comparable to car batteries'' is
forming in the Manning River, near Taree in northern NSW,
researchers from the University of NSW say. Swimming in and
drinking water has been temporarily banned in sections of the
river, while fish and other aquatic life are expected to be
largely wiped out. The NSW government said it was working with
Taree council to ''manage and reduce'' the problem. The plume is
being caused by floodwaters draining from agricultural land that
had been reclaimed from wetlands, concentrating sulphuric acid
in rivers. ''It is extremely acidic, comparable to car
batteries,'' said a senior research fellow, William Glamore,
from the University of NSW. ''You wouldn't want to touch it and
you certainly wouldn't want to drink it because you'd probably
have to go to hospital. If you are sampling it, putting your
hand in the water, by the end of the day your skin is peeling
off.'' Tests carried out by the university's water research
laboratory show alarming amounts of acid,