FLOODING in Dagupan, including the rise of tidal water on dry lands, contributes largely to the rise of acute gastro-enteritis (AGE) or diarrhea, dysentery and typhoid fever in all barangays, according to a study.

Bobby Crisostomo, a consultant of the Australia-based Coffey International collaborating with the United States Agency on International Development for the Sustainable Sanitation in East Asia (SUSEA) program, said the study indicates an increasing number of these water-borne diseases for the period 2005-2007.

Dagupan is one of the pilot areas in the Philippines of SUSEA, a program that started in 2007 at the start of the administration of Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr.

Crisostomo said the city government, needs to improve the water and sanitation system in Dagupan in addition to designing effective solutions for flood control.

Crisostomo recommended that a sustainable sanitation system be incorporated into the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) and that the local government as well as the Dagupan City Water District must adopt measures to ensure safe and potable drinking water to residents.

He also pointed out the need raise pipelines above flood level as the pipes, especially those that are already corrugated, could serve as entry points for fecal and total coliform bacteria into the drinking water.

The study revealed that among the hardest hit by flooding are Barangays Pantal, Lasip Grande, Bacayao Sur and Bonuan Gueset. It is in these areas where most of the AGE cases were recorded by the City Health Office.

The study also showed that all 31 barangays in the city has reported diarrhea cases.—LM

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