Fecal coliform levels down in Manila Bay

LEVELS of fecal coliform bacteria had been going down steadily in some parts of Manila Bay, after a series of cleanup activities and the crackdown on several establishments found to be violating environmental laws, an official of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Friday.

DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda told The Manila Times that water in Manila Bay was now cleaner, with fecal coliform levels dropping in some areas, particularly in the vicinity of the US Embassy.

He attributed the improvement to the cleanup activities and the closure of big business establishments tagged as major pollutants of the bay.

However, swimming is still not allowed since coliform levels are still significantly higher than the safe level of 100 most probable number per 100 milliliters (mpn/100 ml).

Latest data from the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) showed that bacteria levels taken from the US Embassy area have gone down to 1,700 mpn/100 ml.

This is the lowest count in all the eight water quality monitoring stations of the DENR. The waters in front of Diamond Hotel on Quintos Street and Admiral Hotel on Aldecoa Street registered a count of 3,500 mpn/100 ml and 9,200 mpn/100 ml, respectively, while the waters of the Padre Faura drainage outfall also tested lower for fecal coliform, clocking in at 1.6 million mpn/100 ml from 7.9 million mpn/100 ml.

Coliform levels have also gone down in the beachfront area near Remedios Street from 35 million mpn/100 ml to 11 million mpn/100 ml.

Antiporda renewed the DENR’s appeal to the public to refrain from swimming in Manila Bay as the waters remain unsafe and polluted.

He said the DENR would also coordinate with the Department of Health for consultations on the impact of desilting operations.