33 pipes discharging wastewater found at White Beach

Residents walk along an almost empty beachfront as the government implements the temporary closure of the country's most famous beach resort island of Boracay. AP

BORACAY – Some 33 pipes discharging wastewater into the beach had been found in this island, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The pipes were discovered in at least three sites in Boracay’s White Beach using the ground penetrating radar (GPR), said DENR secretary Roy Cimatu on Friday.

Cimatu said this after the first meeting of the “enhanced” Boracay inter-agency task force.

The pipes caused the erratic water quality at the White Beach, stressed Cimatu.

He warned that “maximum penalty will be imposed” against the erring establishments behind the illegal pipes.

The investigation aimed at identifying the erring establishments was still ongoing.

Liza Socorro Manzano, the supervising science research specialist of the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau, said they will continue to locate and check the presence of buried pipes using the GPR.

Meanwhile, Cimatu said identifying and removing all these pipes would hasten the island’s cleanup.

The Environment chief said as long as the water quality of Boracay remains “dirty,” he would not recommend its reopening. (With a report from PNA/PN)

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