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Capitol concerned on drainage issue

City to reject drainage project

Capitol concerned
on drainage issue
By KIT BAGAIPO

The provincial government expressed concern on the drainage problem in the city which the public perceives as a concern which is "urgent and a vital environmental issue."

The Sangguniang Panlungsod, during yesterday's regular session formed a joint committee to look into the bottom line of the concern while awaiting the final construction of a water treatment facility.

The joint body composing the committee are the chairmen of the SP committees on environment under Prov'l Kagawad Alfonso Damalerio II; committee on health under Prov'l Kagawad Yul Lopez who is a physician by profession and the committee on public works presently chaired by Prov'l Kagawad Jose Veloso.

The action of the provincial law making body followed after considering the drainage issue in the capital city as a "clear and present danger."

Prov'l Board Member Ma. Fe Camacho-Lejos passed a motion creating the joint committee to look into the matter which was supposed en masse by the lawmakers.

The joint committee will meet this week, according to Damalerio who delivered a privilege speech during the session.

"The drainage problem is an environmental disaster waiting to happen and a looming health hazard," while adding that the province would also be concerned of major developments happening in the city, being the center of trade and commerce and the gateway to Bohol.

Damalerio noticed the need to find an "immediate and effective action" even with the growing public demand for concrete solutions.

He asserted that the water treatment facility should have been included in the program beforehand, so the project have been finished simultanouesly with the San Jose outfall.

In fact, Gov. Erico Aumentado and Rep. Edgar Chatto already signified their willingness to source out funding for the treatment plant but deferred only when City Mayor Dan Lim made a commitment to build the facility.

"If a solution has been found, there is no clear direction yet as of this time - as to what scheme or mode of implementation, whether it would be a loan, build-operate-transfer (BOT), joint venture or purely city funded project," he said.

"Before a catastrophe happens, the populace demands not only verbal solutions," he stressed.

Damalerio said that the city's drainage system which was originally designed as rainwater drainage into the sea has now become a septic tank of 40 or so establishments and households.

Contrary to the claim of city environmental consultant Engr. Cecil Corloncito that the connections are not illegal since these were already existing even before the drainage improvement project, Damalerio pointed out that, "The connections into the drainage system are called illegal because there is a city ordinance declaring the connections as such," the board member pointed out.

The ordinance was adopted in June 2007.

According to Damalerio it is not possible to put up a water treatment facility along San Jose St. and Graham Avenue as it would be too near the shoreline.

MORE PROBLEMS THAN SOLUTIONS

According to Damalerio, the solutions being proposed by the city mayor and the city environment consultant will mostly create more problems.

The city's proposal under the "polluter's pay" principle, Damalerio explained, would only send a wrong signal to the people as "it would mean that it would be alright to pollute as long as you pay."

"Just the same, this [proposal] does not solve the problem but it simply mitigates the circumstances," he said.

He added that Corloncito's plan to open the drainage during heavy rains "is the worst thing that could be proposed. Because the sewage water would be by this time carrying a very nutritious mix of contaminated water into our pristine seas, allowing a rapid algal bloom, which becomes the precursor of red tide…"

An algal bloom is the rapid increase in the population of algae in an aquatic system.

Algal blooms may also be of concern as some species of algae produce neurotoxins that may have severe biological impacts on wildlife.

Moreover, Damalerio said the city mayor should consider a technical study and consultation if the site in Graham Avenue is viable, feasible and safe considering that sewage digestion in the treatment plant emits methane gas that could pose danger to a gasoline depot nearby.

Damalerio said that allowing wastewater into the outfall in Graham Avenue will surely destroy Kingdom Point or Mabaw Reef which is a dive area comparable to Balicasag that lies in the seas between Parola-1 and off the coasts of barangay Manga.

Damalerio proposed to convene a group to include expert representatives of the city, provincial government, the DENR, DPWH and stakeholders to discuss solutions to the drainage problem.

He said it is urgent to determine the funding requirement for the agreed solution, the specific timetable and what should be done on the illegal connections.