DENR Issues desist order: High levels of coliform found in Sogod water

A water crisis looms in the town of Sogod located 60 kilometers north of Cebu City after a team from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) discovered coliform contamination in their supply.

The water is pumped from a spring in barangay Bagatayan of the town by the Sogod Waterworks System.

The DENR Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) has noted that the coliform contamination of the water supply exceeds what is allowed by the standards set by government.

Allan Arranquez, EMB-7 director, said that the DENR checked the potability of the water supply following a complaint by Dominico Moneva, a resident of barangay Damolog of the town.

The EMB has already advised the Sogod Waterworks System to desist from distributing the water and immediately upgrade their system.

The water distributor can only resume business once the water that it pumps to over a thousand households in 18 barangays of the town would be tested potable.

"It's their responsibility kinahanlang duna gyud corrective measures ani kay this is dangerous to the community especially sa 18 barangays in Sogod, Cebu," Arranquez said.

The Sogod Waterworks System is a priority project of Mayor Thadeus 'Deo' Durano and was funded by a loan from Land Bank of the Philippines amounting to over P30 million.

The project started in March 2003.

The environmental team headed by Engr. Rogie Lee collected random water samples at the outlet pipe of the 350 cubic meters capacity reservoir tank, which is where the water is stored before distribution.

"It showed the following values of total coliform of (greater than) 16 MPN/100 ml, which exceeds the requirement of National Standard for drinking water of (less than) 2.20 MPN/100 ml for fecal coliform (as per results of laboratory bacteriological analysis conducted last September 12-15,2006)," Lee said in his report. This report was approved by Lee's immediate superior Engr. Marcelino Tabuco and EMB director Arranquez.

Water samples were also taken from tank no. 1 and tank . 2 and were also found to have exceeded the tolerable limits for fecal coliform.

"Kuyaw gyud kaayo nga magkasakit ang mga tawo sa maong dapit kun walay corrective measures ang ihatag sa management sa waterworks," Arranquez said.

EMB however noted that the officials of the Sogod Waterworks System are now screening contractors to undertake the installation of additional water purifiers.

The DENR is set to initiate another technical conference with officials of Sogod Waterworks next week including representatives from the Department of Health (DOH).

For his part, former Sogod Vice Mayor Dean Dosado expressed his disappointment over the discovery of fecal coliform in the waterworks system.

"Mao ni sakit kaayo nga paminawon naghurot na lang ang P30 million nga loan and it turn out nga dili diay mainom ang tubig," Dosado said.

He has also asked the anti-graft office to look into the alleged substandard project.-(/NLQ)