Manila Bay rehab to cut coliform level from millions to 100
The coliform level of Manila Bay in the Baywalk area may be lowered to 100 most probable number per 100 milliliters (100mpn/100ml) as projects to rehabilitate the bay continue.
Reporting during President Rodrigo Duterte’s Aug. 26 public address, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Sec. Roy Cimatu said the coliform target level may be achieved by October this year.
A DENR report shows that the coliform level in Manila Baywalk was at 5.75 million mpn/100ml in 2019. This declined to 2.6 million mpn in 2020, and to 7,000 mpn in June 2021.
A record low of 130 mpn was reported in the project’s fifth station across Carfel Shell Export and Museum in Manila. However, the numbers increased anew to 7,000 mpn in August 2021.
“Pinakamababa na nakuha namin doon sa may dolomite area ay 130 [to] 140 mpn. Malapit na natin makuha ‘yung mission natin 100 [mpn] para makapag-swimming na,” Cimatu said.
According to the DENR, the standard fecal coliform level in Manila Bay should drop to 100 mpn/100ml for it to become safe for swimming and other recreational activities.
Cimatu said the coliform level in Metro Manila’s waters was the highest at 1.26 billion mpn before the Manila Bay Task Force and the Save Manila Bay program were established. Metro Manila was followed by Cavite, Bulacan, Bataan, and Pampanga.
“Nag-hold tayo ng consultation sa iba’t-ibang organizations para tumulong sa rehabilitation. Ito po ‘yung directive niyo, Mr. President – for the task force to clean Manila Bay, to comply with the Supreme Court mandamus order,” he said.
Rehab completed programs
The DENR report showed that nine Baywalk geoengineering projects have been finished, 52 esteros were cleaned, four river systems were dredged, and one sewage treatment plant has been established.
Among the geoengineering interventions include the installation of high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes in the Padre Faura outfall and Remedios outfall. This also includes beach nourishment projects involving the controversial crushed dolomite dumping.
“It is considered beach nourishment kasi malaking bagay na nagagawa niya diyan, nililinis rin niya ‘yung tubig, na-prevent rin niya ang erosion at saka ‘yung beach ay… napaluwagan,” Cimatu said.
The treatment plant located near the Manila Yacht Club was built to improve the three Baywalk outfalls in Padre Faura, Remedios, and Abad Santos that drain to the bay.
The environment chief said 247,000 cubic meters of waste materials along the coastline of Manila Bay were dredged by the government from January to April 2021. River and estero clean up drives were also conducted in several areas, including Cavite.
Future activities
Cimatu said they plan to place a viewing deck in Manila Baywalk and a swimming area near the dolomite site.
The government has yet to dredge five river systems, build seven sewage treatment plants, conduct 320 estero cleanups, and address the resettlement of 229,948 households.
During his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 26, Duterte asked the DENR to continue Manila Bay rehabilitation which he said has been “long overdue.”
He said “all illegally operating open dumpsites surrounding Manila Bay have been shut down” as of May 21, while 151 of 187 local government units around the bay were given access to sanitary landfills. – jlo ptv