Capitol orders ‘dirty’ Toledo well closed

CEBU, Philippines - To hopefully prevent more people from getting sick, the Provincial Capitol has ordered the barangay officials of Subayon, Toledo City to temporarily shut down the contaminated well while it is still looking for ways to provide clean water.

“The barangay captain was told to condemn it at the moment. If the mayor is okay, tomorrow we start working,” said Vice Mayor Agnes Magpale.

Magpale said five more patients were admitted to the hospital yesterday, bringing the total number of affected residents to 31.

One of them, who was “bleeding,” was brought to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for treatment.

She said the open well, which was found to be contaminated with coliform bacteria, will not be used until this will be covered and chlorinated.

The well, albeit open, is the only source of potable water of the barangay’s more than 20 households.

But since it has to be closed after people started getting ill, Magpale said the residents will have to be supplied with purified water for the time being.

 She said if Mayor Henry Osmeña would approve of the recommendations of the Capitol's field engineers and water task force, the well will be closed and the water from it will be pumped out to the existing reservoir, which will also be covered.

The water from the reservoir will be chlorinated before it will be allowed for drinking, she said.

Earlier, the inspecting team had recommended to condemn this well, but the vice governor said it is the only the “good source” of water in the area.

And since chlorination can solve the problem, they are implementing it as advised by the experts, she said.

She added that the province will shoulder the expenses and as counterpart, the barangay will provide barangay health workers who will be in charge in putting the right amount of chlorine in the well.

The barangay health workers will be trained by the Capitol.

If they could start carrying out the plan this week, she said the covered well will be available for use again in two weeks’ time.

Another possible reason why the well is contaminated is the lack of proper toilet in the area, Magpale said.

Of the 25 households, only two have the facility; hence, the province has also offered to build communal toilets in the area.

She said they will also do the same for Sitio Pinya, another area in Subayon where there are residents who were also inflicted with sickness.

Medical experts have yet to rule what the sickness really is. —(FREEMAN)