EMB-7 recommends immediate course of action in Cordova costal water problems

Cordova’s floating cottages. | File photo

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu—The Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7) has recommended to the Municipality of Cordova to take immediate course of action to mitigate any environmental pollution in the town’s coastal waters.

EMB-7 recommended to the LGU to convene the different government agencies concerned and the stakeholders operating in the area to appraise them of the current waste management concerns and the different laws violated.

These include the Provincial Government of Cebu, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Community Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Health, and the Department of Tourism.

It also recommended requiring all floating and fixed cottages to install each a comfort room with proper catchment to ensure that all human waste are not discriminately discharged to the said waterbody; install proper wastewater catchment of wastewater generated from washings e.g., oil-contaminated food containers; and install wastes bins with proper segregation at the source of the generated solid residual wastes within the cottage.

The LGU was also asked by the agency to create a mechanism for centralized collection of waste from the cottages; coordinate with a wastewater treatment facility that can properly treat the collected wastewater from the cottages; secure necessary clearance and permits from the Bureau; and conduct regular monitoring and inspection to all the floating and fixed cottages to check their compliance with the existing rules and regulations of the LGU.

Cordova Mayor Cesar “Didoy” Suan earlier reported on Monday, August 15, 2022, during the flag-raising ceremony, that EMB-7 has observed a high level of fecal coliform in their coastal waters.

READ: Cordova seawater has high level of coliform – EMB-7

In the coastal water sampling report issued by EMB-7, it was observed that the level of fecal coliform in the coastal waters in the town has exceeded the allowable levels.

The allowable level of fecal coliform for coastal waters to be safe for bathing or swimming is at 100 most probable numbers (MPN) per 100 milliliters (ml).

However, the report showed that the level of fecal coliform in the seven stations where the water samples were collected ranged from 170 – 2,400 MPN per 100 ml.

EMB-7 conducted a water quality monitoring in the coastal waters of Barangay Catarman, Cordova on July 20 and August 10.

“Results revealed that four out of seven and six out of seven stations exceeded the allowable levels of fecal coliform at 100MPN/100mL, respectively,” the report stated.

The agency is also waiting for the result of the samples that they collected on August 14, 2022.

The report also said that stations 6 and 7 have exceeded oil and grease concentrations for both sampling events.

/bmjo

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