Council eyes Iloilo River preservation on top priority

ILOILO CITY – The preservation and revival of the Iloilo River remains a top priority of the Iloilo River Development Council (IRDC) after it was established that 120 barangays out of total 180 city barangays here drain its sewage at the river.

The problem was aggravated by 30 other barangays from nearby towns of Leganes, Oton and San Miguel, Iloilo which also drain its sewerage at the river.

“The problem is alarming, considering that the river, although an estuarine of the Iloilo Strait and arm of the sea, is now known as the biggest septic tank in Iloilo,” according to city environment and natural resources officer, Engr. Noel Hechanova .

“Not only that. The river is fast dying due to heavy pollution and siltation, if we do not do anything to save it from man’s slaughter,” the CENRO said.

Hechanova said that a Septage Management forum and dialogue will be conducted at the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) office on June 23, 2009 to provide a venue for pre-planning between the Iloilo City government and MIWD on septage management as a near term solution to the river’s water quality program.

Joining this dialogue are representatives from the water districts and local governments of Bacolod and Roxas cities and the municipality of Kalibo, Aklan.

Hechanova pointed out that the main problem that exacerbates the death of the river is land use along the 15 kilometer long Iloilo River, encroachment along the riverbanks and the improper sewerage of families.

He said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) have suspended the granting of foreshore lease agreement (FLA) but the problem remains as more informal settlers and riverbank dwellers continue to live along the riverbanks.

On the other hand, city mayor Jerry P. Treñas has given a go signal for all families living along the riverbanks and other danger zones to be given priority to evacuate and relocate at the various city-owned relocation sites.

More than 2,000 are registered as riverbank dwellers that need to be relocated and the city urban poor affairs office and the city social welfare office are listing down the affected families, especially those living along the Dungon Creek slated for dredging before the year ends.

Hechanova said that a two year study conducted by the University of the Philippines Visayas showed that the Iloilo River has been experiencing low dissolved oxygen that could lead to fishkill and loss of other aquatic organisms.

Households and business establishments along the river produce wastewater from the toilet that is mainly responsible for the lowering of dissolved oxygen in the river.

On the other hand, disease-causing organisms are found in large quantities of feces and urine that are present in the wastewater. The UPV study also showed high prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among children living in urban slums along the river.

Hechanova said that establishments along the river are encourage to put up their own low cost water treatment plant to treat some half a million gallons of waste water drain into the river everyday.

The low cost waste water treatment plant with its technology encouraged by the Local Initiative for Affordable Treatment Program (LINAW) is being encouraged among establishments and two city hospitals, the Iloilo Mission Hospital and St. Paul Hospital have recently put up their own waste water treatment plant.

By Lydia C. Pendon