Water in The Philippines

Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) - rate at which organisms use the oxygen in
water or wastewater while stabilizing decomposable organic matter under aerobic

conditions. BOD measurements are used as a measure of the organic strength of
wastes in water; the greater the BOD, the greater the degree of organic pollution.
Classification/Reclassification of Philippine Waters - categorization of all water
bodies taking into account, among others, the following:
(1) existing quality of the body of water;
(2) size, depth, surface area covered, volume, direction, rate of flow, and gradient of
stream;
(3) most beneficial existing and future use of said bodies of water and lands
bordering them, such as for residential, agricultural, aquacultural, commercial,
industrial, navigational, recreational, wildlife conservation, and aesthetic purposes;
(4) vulnerability of surface and groundwater to contamination from pollutive and
hazardous wastes, agricultural chemicals, and underground storage tanks of
petroleum products.
Coliform - a type of bacteria. The presence of coliform-group bacteria is an
indication of possible pathogenic bacteriological contamination. The human
intestinal tract is one of the main habitats of coliform bacteria. Coliform may also be
found in the intestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals, and in plants, soil, air, and
the aquatic environment. Fecal coliforms are those coliforms found in the feces of
various warm-blooded animals.
Effluent - discharges from known sources passed into a body of water or land, or
wastewater flowing out of a manufacturing or industrial plant, or from domestic,
commercial and recreational facilities
Freshwater - water containing less than 500 ppm dissolved common salt, sodium
chloride, such as that in groundwater, rivers, ponds, and lakes
Groundwater - a subsurface water that occurs beneath a water table in soils and
rocks, or in geological formations
Groundwater recharge - inflow to a groundwater reservoir
Groundwater reservoir - an aquifer or aquifer system in which groundwater is
stored. The water may be placed in the aquifer by artificial or natural means.
Leachate - water containing contaminants which leaks from a disposal site such as
a landfill or dump.
Non-point source - any source of pollution not identifiable as point source to
include, but not be limited to, runoff from irrigation or rainwater which picks up
pollutants from farms and urban areas
Point source - any identifiable source of pollution with specific point of discharge
into a particular water body
TDS (total dissolved solids) - sum of all inorganic and organic particulate
material. TDS is an indicator test used for wastewater analysis and is also a
measure of the mineral content of bottled water and groundwater. There is a
relationship between TDS and conductivity. People monitoring water quality can
measure electrical conductivity quickly in the field and estimate TDS without doing
any lab tests at all.
Aquifer - a geologic formation that will yield water to a well in sufficient quantities
to make the production of water from this formation feasible for beneficial use;
permeable layers of underground rock or sand that hold or transmit groundwater
below the water table
BFAR Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

DENR Department of Environment and Natural Resources
BSWM Bureau of Soils and Water Management
EMB Environmental Management Bureau
LWUA Local Water Utilities Administration
EMS Environmental Management Systems
MWSS Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System
NWRB National Water Regulatory Board
Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW)
The Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 (RA No. 9275) defines water quality
as the characteristics of water that define its use and measured in terms of
physical, chemical, biological, bacteriological, or radiological characteristics by
which the acceptability of water is evaluated, to classify water resources and their
beneficial use.
Class AA Waters intended as public water supply requiring only approved
disinfection to meet the PNSDW 5
Class A Waters suitable as water supply requiring conventional treatment to meet
the PNSDW
203
Class B Waters intended for primary contact recreation (e.g. bathing, swimming,
skin diving, etc.)
149
Class C Waters for fishery, recreation/boating, and supply for manufacturing
processes after treatment
231
Class D Waters intended for agriculture, irrigation, livestock watering, etc.
23
Water Quality Assessment (Parameters)

1. Dissolved Oxygen
- Low DO levels may be found in areas where organic material (dead plant
and animal matter) is decaying, as bacteria require oxygen to decompose organic
waste, thus, depleting the water of oxygen
- A higher dissolved oxygen level usually indicates better water quality. If
dissolved oxygen levels are too low, some fish and other organisms may not be able
to survive
- national standard for DO is 5 mg/L, except for water bodies classified as
Class D and Class SD, with standards set at 3 mg/L and 2 mg/L, respectively
- low concentrations of DO, when combined with the presence of toxic
substances may lead to stress responses in aquatic ecosystems because the toxicity
of certain elements, such as zinc, lead and copper, is increased by low
concentrations of dissolved oxygen
2. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
- measures the amount of oxygen consumed by microorganisms in
decomposing organic matter in stream water
- measures the organic strength of wastes in water;
- the greater the BOD, the greater the degree of organic pollution
- The greater the BOD, the more rapidly oxygen is depleted in the stream
- National standards for BOD vary from 1 to 15 mg/L based on beneficial
water usage and classification.
3. Total suspended solids (TSS)
- measures the amount of undissolved solid particles in water such as level of
siltation, decaying plant and animal matter, and domestic and industrial wastes
- For water bodies used for water supply the standard for TSS is 25 mg/L for
Class AA and 50 mg/L for Class A
- the presence of a high percentage of TSS confirms the effects of sand and
gravel quarrying activities and runoff from denuded forests and agricultural lands
4. Total dissolved solids (TDS)
- used as an aggregate indicator of the presence of a broad array of chemical

contaminants
- The primary sources of TDS in receiving waters are agricultural runoff,
leaching of soil contamination, and point source water pollution from industrial or
domestic sewage
- For water bodies classified as Class AA, the standard for TDS levels is
expected not to exceed 500 mg/L and 1,000 mg/L for both Class A and D waters
5. Heavy metals
- included in monitoring activities only for receiving water bodies where
mining, electroplating, tanning, and other similar activities are operating
- Potential sources of heavy metals are tanneries, electroplating, and other
similar industries located in nearby areas
- Bocaue and Marilao Rivers are traced with presence of Lead
- Elevated levels of mercury causing gingivitis, skin discoloration, neurological
disorders, damage kidney and causes anemia.
Groundwater quality assessment

- the standard for TDS is 500 mg/L and a negative for coliform. Negative
means total coliform must not be detectable in any 100 ml sample, while positive
means the presence of total coliform in the water sample
Water Pollution Hot Spots

1. point sources, those which emit harmful substances directly into a particular
water body, or
2. non-point sources, which have no identifiable source but are scattered with
pollutants delivered indirectly.
1. Domestic Wastewater
2. Agricultural Wastewater
3. Industrial Wastewater
Metro Manila has four water treatment plants, namely: Balara Treatment Plants I and
II, and the La Mesa Water Treatment Plants I and II.
Other Important Laws
1. Republic Act No. 9003, Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000
2. Republic Act 6969, Toxic Substances & Hazardous & Nuclear Wastes Control Act
3. Presidential Decree No. 856, Sanitation Code of the Philippines
For purposes of classification or reclassification, the following minimum water
quality parameters are often used: Dissolved Oxygen (DO) pH Biochemical
Oxygen Demand (BOD) Total Coliform organisms

Water in The Philippines

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Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) - rate at which organisms use the oxygen in

water or wastewater while stabilizing decomposable organic matter under aerobic

BFAR Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

Water Quality Assessment (Parameters)

- used as an aggregate indicator of the presence of a broad array of chemical

Groundwater quality assessment

Water Pollution Hot Spots

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