Dredging at Dungon and Calajunan creeks prioritized

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional office here is prioritizing the dredging operations in two city creeks and tributaries pinpointed as main source of water pollution and floodings in some areas of the city.

City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said the awaited Water Master dredging machine bought by DPWH has already arrived in the city last September to start cleaning up the creeks and the Iloilo River.

The machine will have to be assembled first for about three months and tested with a dry run before DPWH fully pays the machine bought abroad.

The mayor said DPWH will start dredging by May 2013 and relocation of about 1,000 informal settlers living the areas of two creeks slate in March 2013.

Priority creeks are the Dungon Creek with a length of eight kilometers and 13 barangays along the waterline from Jaro to La Paz and eventually the city proper.

The other priority dredging site is the 7.8-kilometer Calajunan Creek passing through three barangays in Mandurriao district up to the Iloilo River.

The City Government and city environment and natural resources office are spearheading the rehabilitation and restoration of the Iloilo River tributaries starting with the Dungon Creek costing some P2.6 million.

A total of 398 informal settlers and their families from Dungon Creek will be relocated to the Sooc relocation site while more than 200 informal settlers from the Calajunan Creek will also be relocated the city government’s owned lot and relocation sites in Sooc and in Lanit, Jaro district.

Mabilog said the main dredging contention is to remove heavy siltation that impedes the flow of water to the river thereby resulting to floodings in low lying areas and the high water pollution from sewage discharges and high coliform level with low dissolve oxygen. The situation was further aggravated by the presence of numerous illegal structures along the creeks.