Cimatu notes improvement in water quality in Boracay on eve of closure anniversary

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu says the absence of thick algal bloom along the white beach of Boracay on Thursday compared to the same time last year shows that water pollution, one of the key problems in the rehabilitation efforts, has been addressed (Photos by Nestor P. Burgos Jr./INQUIRER VISAYAS)

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan—The absence of thick algal bloom indicates an improvement in water quality after illegal discharges were discovered and stopped, according to Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu.

Wherein before it was a cesspool, now the highest coliform (bacterial level) in the past months is 40 (most probable number/100 milliliters) and in some months, it is in single digit,” Cimatu told a news conference on Thursday, the eve of the first anniversary of the six-month closure of the island to tourists on April 26, 2018.

The acceptable concentration values of coliform bacteria is 100 MPN/100 ml for areas categorized for swimming.

He said they compared photographs of the main beach taken last year on Thursday to show the marked difference as the algal bloom is expected during summer.

Several residents told the INQUIRER that there was algae only near a small area at the northern end of the island but was not as thick and viscous as in previous years.

Many business operators and residents have claimed that the algal blooms are seasonal, “natural” and have been occurring even before the island became developed.

But environmentalists and even some long-time residents have raised warnings that the bloom is an indication of deteriorating water condition and of pollution.