CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City health office is now conducting an information drive on chlorine distribution after water samples from the city government's deep wells showed the presence of the bacteria coliform.
City health inspector Rhoda Prada yesterday said to assure that the water from deep wells is safe for human consumption, she and fellow health inspectors are going around inspecting deep wells.
Water samples from Mandaue City 's government deep wells show the presence of coliform bacteria where there are 80 cfu (coliform unit) per 100ml of water.
The inspectors are coordinating with barangay captains is disseminating information regarding the dangers posed by contaminated water.
"Naa na mi'y gipahigayon nga information drive. Amo naman sad gani silang gipasidan-an nga di mo-inom ug tubig gikan sa mga deep well, apan daghan gihapon gahi ug ulo busa nasabutan naa sa committee on health sa barangay nga butangan na lang dyud karatula nga maghatag ug advise nila," Prada said.
Aside from the information drive, the inspectors have started distributing chlorine to the barangays.
The city has 27 barangays and is divided into three districts with more than 200 deep wells where 30 to 100 families share the same well.
Sitio Kanipaan, barangay Basak has 46 cfu per 100ml of water, the highest for north district.
In Zone 7, barangay Mantuyong has 80 cfu per 100ml with 3 erc (escherichia coli) for central district and Subangdaku 50 cfu per 100ml for the south district.
Coliform bacteria usually form from the rust of pipes of the well, from ditches, and from residential comfort rooms constructed nearby.
A deep well must be dug 25 meters away from residential houses, the ideal distance to avoid polluting the water.
If water is found to contaminated , there is the need to chlorinate for a month before another sampling of the water is to be made.
"Busa kon dili na dyud madala ug dili mawagtang ang bacteria, ipa-condemn na lang dyud ang poso ug mangita ug laing lugar kabutangan," Prada said.