ONE of the owners of Mactan Rock Industries Inc., which has been blamed for the sudden transformation of the once murky waters of Tejero Creek into a white hue, denied Sunday, April 7, 2024, that the discharge came from the operations of their desalination facility in the area.
Antonio Tompar said in a phone interview that they will address the matter accordingly once they personally receive the citation ticket that was received by one of their employees.
“Kanang puti, dili na amoa. Clear water ang among gi-discharge bisan pa og tan-awon ninyo,” he said.
(That white water does not come from our facility. We discharge clear water, even if you look at it.)
He also welcomed further investigation on the matter.
“The DENR should investigate more because that is not ours. Kanang puti nga morag gatas, dili na amoa (That milky discharge does not belong to us),” he added.
Netizens and residents living near Alviola St. in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City, have expressed concerns about the creek water turning white on Saturday, April 6, 2024.
They feared that hazardous chemicals may be being dumped into the river.
The white-colored water stretches from behind the old White Gold House to the Tejero Barangay Hall along Alviola and T. Padilla streets.
In an interview conducted on Facebook Messenger, Ceset head Grace Luardo admitted that they were unaware of the situation until SunStar Cebu inquired on the matter. She then sent a team to inspect the creek.
Luardo said there could be possible human activities, like dumping of chemicals, in the area that resulted in the transformation of the color of the water.
After Ceset’s inspection, Luardo told SunStar Cebu that the occurrence was due to the improper drainage system of Mactan Rock Industries Inc., one of the bulk water suppliers of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District.
She said they issued a citation ticket on Saturday afternoon to Mactan Rock Industries Inc. for violating City Ordinance 2398, which concerns the absence of a septic tank and proper drainage.
Luardo said the company must pay a penalty of P2,000 within seven working days at the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Ccenro).
Luardo, however, said another inspection is scheduled for Monday, April 8, with the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau 7, Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office, Task Force Gubat sa Baha, and the Coastal Management Board.
The inspection may involve the collection of water samples for chemical testing.
She also said they will forward the matter to the City Legal Office. (AML/WBS)