No water contamination at Kananga River, EMB says

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
March 11, 2013

PALO, Leyte – There is no contamination of Kananga River as a result of a landslide-induced busted steam pipeline of the Energy Development Corporation, the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Eastern Visayas informed.

EMB-8 Director Leticia Maceda disclosed that based on the initial analysis of the water taken from the Bao River in Kananga, Leyte, there was low concentration or tolerable amount of Boron.

Director Maceda said that Boron is a chemical element said to be inherent in any water spring. Low presence of boron could serve as a nutrient to plants while its high concentration could lead to stunted growth.

The amount of Boron is still below the acceptable standard in the country which is .75parts/million, Director Maceda said. The result of the sampling by the multi-partite monitoring team composed of various government agencies showed that the presence of Boron in the river was only .22 parts/million.

It was learned that for its part, the EDC also conducted its own analysis on the presence of Boron in the river which yielded the result of .25 parts/million.

Maceda, however, said that the office submitted the water sample to an independent Manila-based Austria Laboratory and is waiting for the result which is expected to arrive anytime. She expressed confidence that the result from the private lab would also yield a similar result.

The March 1 landslide in Pad 409 Upper Mahiao, Barangay Lim-ao in Kananga has not only resulted to the death of 14 workers but also busted a steam pipe which several sectors expressed fear to have caused Boron to spread to the tributaries leading to the Bao River.

The site of the incident was just about five kilometers away from Bao River, it was learned.

Earlier, Kananga Mayor Elmer Codilla denied that there was water contamination due to the incident.