Balete LGU mulls state of calamity as water supply tests positive for arsenic

The local government of Balete, Batangas is considering declaring a state of calamity after the water supply from five barangays tested positive for the presence of arsenic.

According to a report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, the Balete Municipal Health Office said the move would allow them to use calamity funds to help the residents.

The deep wells that tested positive for arsenic are located in Barangays Sala, San Sebastian, Look, Poblacion and Palsara.

The residents in the affected areas are not allowed to use the water for cooking and drinking.

The Lipa Water District said that none of more than 2,000 consumers had tested positive for arsenic in the town of Balete.

Meanwhile, Prime Water Lemery (PWL), which supplies water to 36 barangays in Lemery,  assured the public that the water supply is safe for drinking.

“We test our water source twice a year based on the standards set by Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW) and Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA),” the PWL said in a statement.

“We have conducted tests in April 2022 and passed all of them. We have also conducted tests on May 22 and are awaiting results,” it added.

To continuously provide quality water service to residents, the company will conduct monthly tests from April to June along with the Department of Health (DOH).

The provincial government of Batangas earlier announced that high levels of arsenic was found in the groundwater nine areas in the province.

The Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force on Arsenic-Taal Volcano Protected Landscape (TVPL) earlier said the places positive for arsenic in Batangas are Laurel, Balete, San Nicolas, Mataas na Kahoy, Alitagtag, Sta. Teresita, Lemery, Taal and Tanauan City.

Experts noted that the level of arsenic in the said areas is higher than the standard or average level which is 10 parts per billion.

Arsenic was first detected in water wells after Taal Volcano erupted in January 2020. It was also detected in the waters of Taal Lake.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergerie said that drinking the water contaminated by arsenic could affect one's health.

She added that drinking water contaminated by arsenic can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and numbness in extremities. In extreme cases, a person who drinks large amounts of contaminated water and not treated immediately can die.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) has allotted about P3 million for water tests. -- Mel Matthew Doctor/BAP, GMA News