Davao River coliform ‘overwhelmingly high’

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Environmental Management Bureau Davao Region found out that in the Davao River, the level of coliform bacteria is at 900,000 most probable number (MPN) per 100 ml.

Relative to the matter, Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte who chairs the committee on health, proposed a Zero Open Defecation Ordinance amid the reports of the presence of poliovirus in Davao River.

“The DENR-EMB revealed during last Friday’s inter-agency meeting with City Health that the number of coliform bacteria in the mouth of Davao River is overwhelming high,” said Villafuerte in her privilege speech.

Villafuerte explained that for a water sample to be considered safe for drinking, the number of coliform bacteria must be zero. She also pointed out that according to the EMB, the standard level is 100 mpn of coliform.

According to Villafuerte, to push for the proposed ordinance, the City Council will request and urge the Sanitation Unit of the City Health Office to conduct an inventory of the households who do not have toilets with septic tanks on the whole length of the city’s shoreline, and in the downtown area and upland communities.

She recommended that every home must build one toilet with a septic tank.

“It is high time we stop dumping human waste into the Davao River and its tributaries. In fact, we should
altogether stop dumping human waste directly into the environment,” she said.

Additionally, Villafuerte also said she will propose a Mandatory Immunization of Infants & Children Ordinance of Davao City to help the Health Sector to meet their goal of achieving 100% immunization coverage of children below 5 years old in Davao City.

Villafuerte commits to help the Department of Health together with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization in the Mass Immunization starting on October 14 for approx 180,000 children below 5 years old in the city.