Fish thrive in Pandacan depot's wastewater pond

MANILA, Philippines - Fish are good indicators of water quality since they are very sensitive to contamination that chemical tests may miss, according to a study made by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA study indicates that using fishponds complement chemical testing done by government regulatory agencies to assess the degree of contamination and toxicity of water bodies, including rivers, streams, and lakes.

The Pandacan oil depot – operated by Pilipinas Shell, Petron Corp., and Chevron along the Pasig River – has been using this same process to ensure the quality of every drop of water it releases into the river.

“We have been supporting efforts to clean up Pasig. And we have been doing our part. At the end of our wastewater treatment facility is a pond where fish thrive. We are big businesses that follow the strictest best corporate practices. No one benefits from polluting Pasig,” Roberto Kanapi, Shell vice president for communications, said.

The EPA study signifies that the presence of a fishpond is the final step to know if waste treatment facilities are effective or not.

In Shimla, India, government requires industries operating along the Sarsa River to first release wastewater (after being processed in treatment facilities) into fishponds. If the fish survive, only then can the wastewater be released into the river.

The Sarsa River, despite being flanked by industries on both sides, remains pristine and continues to be among India’s top tourist destinations.

“Here in the Philippines, the Pandacan oil depot is among the very few facilities, if not the only one, that make use of fishponds as part of their environmental protection plan,” Kanapi said.

Aside from making use of the fishpond as a biological criterion to determine wastewater toxicity, the Pandacan depot has in place state-of-the-art environmental systems to make sure it complies with pollution standards regarding land, water, oil, and chemicals and contain any spill.

The oil companies maintained that they exceed the requirements to meet government pollution standards. 

They have also proposed that an international risk assessor be chosen by a panel with representatives from the depot’s critics to once and for all determine if the depot has the proper security measures and whether it has been polluting the river or not.

“We have asked our critics to help choose an independent assessor, monitor its progress and have access to its findings. Everything will be transparent,” Kanapi said.

The most recent study made by the Pasig Rehabilitation Commission indicated that domestic wastes account for 65 percent; industrial waste, 30 percent, mostly coming from small industries without any waste treatment facilities; and solid wastes, five percent.