Ben Madilynn
MORE than 10 residential houses in Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City have illegally connected their pipes directly to the drainage system without obtaining the necessary permits from the City Engineering Office (CEO).
This was confirmed by City Environment and Natural Resources (Cenro) Officer Jocelyn Abayan, who said that the residents illegally tapped their pipes last September.
Gun-ob Barangay Captain Carl Weigel, in an interview on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, reported that the more than 20 families involved in the illegal tapping are mostly from Don Benedicto Road, Carajay.
Weigel reported the case to Cenro because the residents did not seek permission from the barangay to install the pipes.
Perla Amor, CEO head, said that when she found out about the prohibited tapping, she called on Cenro to issue a notice of violation to the households.
Cenro personnel promptly went to the area and issued notices to the households found engaging in the illegal tapping.
“They (residents) have pipes coming from their homes that are directly connected to the drainage system without any permit or permission from Cenro or the engineering office, which makes it an illegal tapping,” said Abayan in a mix of Cebuano and English.
According to the Cenro officer, citation tickets incur fines of P500 for the first offense, P1,000 for the second offense and P1,500 for the third offense.
For business establishments, the third offense will lead to the revocation of business permits.
In addition to requiring payment, the households are mandated to remove the pipes connected to the drainage.
For the barangay’s intervention, barangay officials are conducting ongoing check-ups and have reported no odors or complaints.
A hearing was also conducted earlier in September with the involved residents and Cenro to educate the individuals about illegal tapping and the proper and legal process to obtain a permit from the local government unit.
The city department officers have also reported cases of illegal tapping in Humay-Humay Road, Barangay Pajo, to which Cenro issued citation tickets to violators in September.
Risks
Dumping of wastewater into the drainage system poses risks, especially to marine organisms, said Abayan.
Abayan said the water flows directly into the sea, which could severely affect marine biodiversity. She added that wastewater can contaminate rainwater, potentially causing leptospirosis.
Amar also said that the drainage system is not designed to catch all wastewater from residents, causing it to overflow.
Aside from the recurring problem of wastewater, rubbish found in the new drainage system could affect its functionality, said Amar.
“I hope people will also cooperate and stop using our drainage line as a dumping ground for waste. Many people are not mindful and carelessly throw away their trash. It’s our responsibility to dispose of waste properly,” said Amar in a mix of Cebuano and English.
“We should all work together. This is not just the City’s responsibility to address these issues, it’s really everyone’s business,” she added.
