CONTAMINATED WATER. The Local Health Board of Valderrama town holds an emergency meeting upon receipt of the result of a water sample taken from a communal water source in Barangay Iglinab which was positive for E.coli on Sept. 15, 2022. Eric Espia, Valderrama information officer, said in an interview Friday (Sept. 16) that Mayor Jocelyn Posadas has ordered residents to stop sourcing their drinking water from the contaminated spring water. (Photo courtesy of Valderrama LGU)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, ANTIQUE – A sample taken from spring water in Barangay Iglinab in the municipality of Valderrama was found positive for E.coli bacteria.
The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) carried out the laboratory test on Monday and was released on Thursday.
The pipes leading to the homes of the residents were not properly laid so these fell into a dirty canal, said Valderrama Sanitary Inspector Joel Castillon in an interview Friday.
He said that E.coli bacteria could be due to human or animal feces.
Valderrama information officer Eric Espia, in a separate interview, said the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH WV CHD) on Friday again took samples from the spring water, which is the main source of the communal water system, for confirmation.
"As a result of the laboratory test by the IPHO, the Department of Health also took a water sample today (Friday) in Barangay Iglinab for confirmation," he said.
While waiting for the confirmatory result, he said Mayor Jocelyn Posadas has reiterated her order for residents of Barangay Iglinab to temporarily stop getting their drinking water from the spring.
The Municipal Health Office has also been continuously monitoring the situation in the barangay and residents have been provided with Oresol and anti-diarrhea medicines.
"From Aug. 30 to Sept. 13, there was a total of 46 individuals who had been provided with medical attention in Valderrama hospital due to diarrhea," Espia said.
However, only four patients were admitted as of Sept. 13 while the 42 others were already discharged.
The municipality has also recorded four fatalities; one each from Iglinab and Pandanan villages and another two from San Remigio town from Sept. 5 to 8.
The communal water system also supplies adjacent barangays of General Fullon and Banbanan in the municipality of San Remigio where 73 of its residents suffered from diarrhea as reported last Sept. 10. (PNA)
