Water sources around Mayon checked for safety
LIGAO CITY—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) in Bicol has stepped up weekly water quality monitoring of rivers and creeks that could be affected by lava flows and ashfall, as Mayon Volcano remains under an effusive eruption.
Rudolph Lita, supervising environmental management specialist of DENR-EMB in Bicol, said in a phone interview on Sunday that the initiative aims to ensure that water sources surrounding Mayon remain safe and free from chemical contamination while the volcano is under alert level 3.
Lita explained that volcanic activity can introduce heavy metals and suspended particles into nearby water bodies, posing potential risks to communities that depend on these sources for daily use.
Among the areas being monitored are Kabang Creek and the San Francisco-Cabilogan River in Guinobatan town; Nabonton Creek between Guinobatan and Ligao City; the San Antonio and Quinale Rivers in Tabaco City; the Nasisi River in Ligao City; the Basud River in Sto. Domingo; the Cagbulawan River in Malilipot; and the Iraya and Yawa Rivers in Daraga town.
Limits
Water samples collected from these sites are analyzed for total suspended solids (TSS), phosphates, color and heavy metals, such as cadmium, lead, zinc and copper, to detect possible contamination linked to volcanic materials.
For Class C or SC water bodies—commonly rivers and coastal areas—TSS levels should not exceed 80 milligrams per liter, while lead levels must remain below 0.05 milligrams per liter, Lita said.
“If any heavy metal exceeds these water quality guideline values, the water body is considered noncompliant or polluted,” Lita added.
He noted that the monitoring is a precautionary measure to safeguard public health as Mayon continues to show signs of unrest.
“This is more of a precautionary measure for the protection of the public,” Lita said.
