By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD CITY – Around 400 households in three coastal barangays of Cauayan town, Negros Occidental, have been affected by saltwater intrusion.
Cauayan Mayor John Rey Tabujara told reporters over the weekend that the water issue has persisted in the coastal barangays since 2012.
He added that the situation worsened due to the El Niño phenomenon, which began last year and continued into the first half of this year.
Tabujara said the Cauayan municipal government is applying for a PHP 90 million loan to address the saltwater intrusion affecting the potable water supply of three barangays, impacting about 2,000 residents.
The coastal barangays of Man-uling, Isio, and Poblacion have seen their drinking water sources become severely saline, forcing residents to buy potable water from neighboring areas, according to Tabujara.
He said a technical working committee (TWC) has been formed to address the issue.
The TWC is composed of representatives from the Cauayan Water District and the municipal offices of engineering, health, assessment, agriculture, and the mayor.
“We need to address this saltwater intrusion by exploring viable alternatives; otherwise, it will continue to affect our constituents in the three barangays,” Tabujara said.
Meanwhile, Environment and Natural Resources Officer Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya explained that saltwater intrusion results from over-extraction of freshwater, which depletes underground aquifers.
“Since seawater currents are stronger than freshwater from the mountains, saltwater intrusion is irreversible,” Gerangaya pointed out.
