To save Cebu City’s rivers: Crackdown sought

CEBU, Philippines — The City Council last Wednesday urged the Cebu City Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team (CESET) and the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) to conduct massive operations against residents throwing waste in the river.

It also required residents living near rivers to build septic tanks instead of defecating in or throwing human waste into the rivers.

Through resolutions filed by City Councilor Rey Gealon, the City Council quoted a CCENRO report that stated that there are no remaining rivers in the city that passed the highest standard of water quality, which is Class AA or Class A.

Class AA or Public Water Supply Class 1 is the standard intended primarily for waters in watersheds, which should be uninhabited or otherwise declared as protected areas.

CCENRO had said that “fecal coliform” content in the city’s rivers reached 13,000,000 MPN/100mL, which is 3,249,900 percent more than the safe limit of 400 MPN/mL.

The same report stated that a significant portion of the high fecal coliform in the river is accordingly due to waste released by those people occupying the three-meter easement of rivers.

“In the light of potential health and environmental hazards posed by the improper disposal of waste, prompt action to address the issue is crucial to prevent further damage and mitigate its impact,” the council said.

It said that the situation could lead to the spread of diseases and may cause long-term effects on both the environment and on public health.

“It is therefore imperative that the CESET take immediate action to address this pressing concern and prevent any further harm,” said the City Council.

And mindful that the throwing of human waste in rivers is due to the lack of septic tanks or any form of septage treatment, the legislative body also asked CCENRO, in coordination with the Office of the Building Official (OBO), to require residents, especially those whose houses are beside the rivers, to comply with Republic Act 9275 (Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004)

“A considerable volume of human waste is being improperly discharged into rivers and other water sources, posing a serious public health risk,” Gealon said. — /RHM (FREEMAN)