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Tuesday. September 12, 2017
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ILOILO City – Acting Mayor Jose Espinosa III appealed to market vendors and residents to avoid throwing garbage, especially plastic bags, into the drainage system.
The plea came after some low-lying areas became flooded on Saturday and Sunday when the city was pounded by heavy rains.
“We have gathered plastic garbage from the drainage at the Iloilo Terminal Market or Super and the Iloilo Central Market. We are appealing to our vendors to as much as possible not throw plastic garbage into our drainage system,” said Espinosa.
Garbage thrown into the drainage prevents the flow of water, thus may result to flooding even if the City Engineer’s Office is continuously declogging the system, he explained.
Espinosa said the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) also urged road and drainage contractors to complete their projects fast.
“We told them that any construction, whether new or ongoing, should be completed immediately. Through the office of Councilor Ely Estante, the SP chairman of the committee on engineering, construction and public works, we will demand that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) give us a list of these constructions so that if the contractors could not finish their projects on time, we can call their attention,” said Espinosa.
The DPWH – Iloilo City District Engineering Office (ICDEO), on the other hand, had long been urging residents not to clog the city’s drainage system with waste matter.
“Some residents directly convey human wastes to our drainage system,” said Engr. Rodney Gustilo, ICDEO chief.
The ICDEO started clearing the city’s drainage system in June.
Gustilo urged barangay councils to prohibit their constituents from using the drainage system for their human refuse.
A drainage system is an essential part of living in a city or urban area as it reduces flood damage by carrying water away.
Gustilo also requested the city government to require medium range-commercial establishments to have mechanisms preventing kitchen solid wastes from entering the drainage system.
“Kay ining mga sebo nga ‘ni kung mag go directly sa drainage system, it will solidify. It will clog our drainage system,” said Gustilo.
He was referring to the use of grease traps that should be a must for businesses like fast food chains and restaurants.
A grease trap (also known as grease interceptor, grease recovery device and grease converter) is a plumbing device designed to intercept most greases and solids before they enter a wastewater disposal system.
High-viscosity fats and cooking greases such as lard solidify when cooled, and can combine with other disposed solids to form blockages in the drainage system.
The drainage system is supposed to cater to run-off water only and not wastes from the kitchens of these commercial establishments. (Iloilo City PIO/PN)
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