Dialogue to save Iloilo River today
THE Iloilo City government and the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) will hold a forum today, June 23, in a bid to stem pollution at the Iloilo River.
Engr. Noel Hechanova, City Environment and Natural Resources officer, said the Septage Management forum and dialogue will be conducted at the MIWD office.
The forum will provide a venue for pre-planning between the Iloilo City government and MIWD on septage management as a near term solution to the river’s water quality program.
The preservation and revival of the Iloilo River remains a top priority of the Iloilo River Development Council (IRDC) after it was found out that 120 barangays in Iloilo City drain their sewage in the river.
The problem was aggravated as 30 barangays from the nearby towns of Leganes, Oton and San Miguel, Iloilo also drain liquid wastes in the river.
“The problem is alarming, considering that the river, although an estuarine of the Iloilo Strait and arm of the sea, is now known as the biggest septic tank in Iloilo. Not only that, the river is fast dying due to heavy pollution and siltation,” Hechanova said.
Representatives from the water districts and local governments of Bacolod and Roxas cities and the municipality of Kalibo, Aklan will also join the dialogue.
Hechanova said three main problems hasten the death of the river – land use along the 15-kilometer banks of the river, encroachment along the riverbanks and inappropriate sewerage.
He said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) have suspended the granting of foreshore lease agreement (FLA) but the problem remains as more informal settlers and riverbank dwellers continue to live along the riverbanks.
Hechanova cited a two-year study conducted by the University of the Philippines Visayas showing that the Iloilo River has been experiencing low dissolved oxygen. This could lead to fishkill and death of aquatic organisms.
Wastewater from households and business establishments along the river is said to be responsible for the low dissolved oxygen in the river.
On the other hand, disease-causing organisms are found in large quantities of feces and urine that are present in the wastewater. The UPV study also showed high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among children living in urban slums along the river.
Hechanova said establishments along the river are encouraged to put up their own low cost water treatment plant to treat some half a million gallons of waste water drain into the river everyday.
The low cost waste water treatment plant with its technology encouraged by the Local Initiative for Affordable Treatment Program (LINAW) is being encouraged among establishments and two city hospitals, the Iloilo Mission Hospital and St. Paul Hospital have recently put up their own waste water treatment plant.
Iloilo City Information Office
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