Iponan River at ‘tolerable’ level, Clenro assures

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

City Council and committee on environment vice chair Edna Dahino is now calling on the attention of the Environment and Management Board (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resoruces (DENR) and City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) as the third party facilitator of Pagalungan Sanitary Landfill to shed light on the reported leakage of waste water.

Dahino said EMB-DENR and Clenro as the third party facilitator should shed light over the report made by the local officials from Barangay San Simon pointing to the leak waste water as the root cause of an alleged fish kill in Iponan river and has afflicted residents with skin rashes.

“The issue of sanitation should be taken as priority concern. Dili pwede nang maglimod-limod,” she said.

Clenro chief Edwin Dale, however, claimed that the allegation made by the local officials of Pagalungan and San Simon were baseless and untrue considering that they have installed facilities to prevent leakage of the landfill’s waste water.

For his part, Dael said they have already conducted a water sampling to a credible water sampling center after receiving the resolution and experiencing heavy rains for the past several days.

“Tolerable level pa man within the standard pa pollution level ang Iponan River. Mo-survive pa ang mga isda, mabuhi pa sila ana. Bio-diversity ana niya okay pa sila then wala po’y leaking sa dump site,” he said.

He showed the recent result of the water sampling test dated Sept. 27 claiming that they have used some water parameters. The result of the analysis showed that Environmental Inspection Sampling showed that Iponan River as class C and within the standard level.

“The result proved that of the issue of fish kill and water contamination is just an allegation,” the result also stated. The procedure of the examination is properly conducted.

Dael said they have assigned some personnel to conduct environmental testing three times a week whenever heavy rains would be experienced.

Local barangay officials of Barangay San Simon had passed a resolution raising their concern over the alleged incidents.

Barangay Resolution Number 023 series of 2017, hereby resolved to urgently informed the city council of the health hazard caused by the newly built garbage dumpsite at Barangay Pagalungan of Iponan River and seek its transfer to a separate location far from the Iponan river.

The resolution signed by the local barangay officials of Barangay San Simon led by Barangay Chairman Rodolfo Nacario claimed that they made the call after the occurrence of heavy rains causing flood waters to flow downstream and which toxic water have leaked affecting downstream bringing some garbage materials with foul and discolored water.

“Barangay San Simon is located downstream of the garbage dumpsite next to Barangay Pagalungan. Some of our residents have observed worms sticking in Iponan River plants, itchiness to the bodies caused by the contaminated and dirty water of Iponan River,” part of the resolution stated.

The resolution also stated that the dumpsite endangering the lives of the Barangay San Simon residents and jeopardized the livelihood where the fish water fishes were noted along the river are beginning to disappear.

“Furthermore, the sand and gravel industry that has given as much revenue of P2.3 million as share to barangay San Simon for the delivery as shared taxes were threatened,” the resolution reads.