College of Engineering

Case Study
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
(TTH 4:30PM 6:00PM)

Melegrito, Roden F. Engr. Albano

BSIE IV December 11, 2017
 I. INTRODUCTION

Laguna de Ba - is the largest lake in the Philippines located east

of Metro Manila between the provinces of Laguna to the south and Rizal to

the north. The freshwater lake has a surface area of 911949 km (352-

366 sq mi), with an average depth of about 2.8 metres (9 ft 2 in) and an

elevation of about 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) above sea level. The lake is shaped

like a stylized 'W', with two peninsulas jutting out from the northern shore.

Between these peninsulas, the middle lobe fills the large volcanic Laguna

Caldera. In the middle of the lake is the large island of Talim, which falls

under the jurisdiction of the towns of Binangonanand Cardona in Rizal

province.

II. CASE PROBLEM

TOXIC POLLUTANTS - The lake is the most glaring evidence of its

stressed ecological state. This loss stems from numerous deleterious factors

operating throughout the lake and its drainage basin.

Phytoplankton community composition has drastically changed over the

years and algal biomass has diminished in the presence of ample supplies of

nitrogen and phosphorus. Light limitation due to high siltation rates in the

perennially turbid lake whose Secchi depth is only 5 cm might be the primary

limitation to photosynthesis. The problem of siltation in the lake is the result of

deforestation in the watershed that heightened soil erosion rates. Trophic

relationships are inadequately examined in Laguna de Bay, the biggest lake

in Southeast Asia. High biological oxygen demand and high heavy metal

levels in the lake water, sediments, and biota are evidence of excessive

pollution. Heavy metal levels in fish are similar to those found in fish from a

smaller nearby lake receiving mine tailings. Collectively, these observations

show that Laguna de Bay is an extremely stressed ecosystem needing

rehabilitation. The article concludes with a set of recommendations on how to

deal with the problem of impairment of lake ecology, namely, the

improvement of the hydrological regime, control of the internal loading of

fertilizing nutrients, toxic and hazardous chemicals, control of the sources of

pollution, a systematic implementation of closed and open seasons to fishing,

the establishment of a system for the assessment and evaluation of

environmental perturbations, and revitalization and support for local

community efforts to safeguard the ecology of the lake.

 III. CASE ANALYSIS

1. Remove all fishpens whose feeding and waste creates massive siltation, and
return the lake to all the people.

2. Identify major chemical polluters, fine them and close if they do not clean their
output to the lake.

3. Domestic waste recycling plants to return clean water to the lake

4. Enlarge and operate other outlets to Manila Bay using natural water pathways
in Cavite and Rizal areas to prevent floods. Deepen Pasig River

5. Revive it as a transport corridor all the way to Manila Bay

6. Return to original condition rivers feeding into it specially on domestic waste

and chemical pollution

7. Put more LGU and People participation into LLDA

Manage it as a water reservoir - the only future massive water source for the
Metropolis
IV. REFERENCE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laguna_de_Bay
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/859365/pollution-
squatting-industries-hasten-death-of-laguna-de-bay
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14634980
290031820
 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Duterte challenged to go beyond rhetoric vs mining

- The Presidents hopes and dreams on environment are commendable

but he needs to get rid of his officials who had and have interests in the mining

industry. We hope National Land Use Act shall be enacted as a law by Congress,

so do with Forest Resources and Alternative Mineral Management bills, said

Rodney Galicha, an environmental activist from Romblon and the Climate Reality

Project Philippines manager. In Occidental Mindoro, Ian delos Santos, a

Christian pastor and spokesperson of the Kaisahan ng mga Mindoreo Laban sa

Dayuhan at Dambuhulang Pagmimina, also lauded Dutertes

 pronouncement but said that they would rather push for national

industrialization.

Earlier on Monday, around 500 farmers and activists staged protests in

Sablayan and San Jose Occidental Mindoro and in Roxas,Oriental Mindoro

against the continued presence of foreign and large-scale mining companies on

their island.

We have lost bearings on President Rodrigo Dutertes promise to close big mines

that have actually caused or are posing massive destruction of the environment.

It is not enough to say protect the environment, but President Duterte should be

clear-cut in saying close the big mines, said Bagong Alyansang Makabayan in

Mindoro in reaction to Dutertes State of the Nation Address.

REACTIONS AND RECOMMENDATION

Mining and irrigated rice and fish farming are conflicting activities and are

incompatible in an area that produces valuable agricultural and marine food

supplies, not only to the MINDORO but also to major Philippine cities. Mining will

also affect the significant investment of the international community in

reforestation. It will pollute and cause erosion and siltation of the rivers, and

exacerbate geo-hazard and landslide problems. There will be a risk of flooding and

pollution of fresh water supplies and of the main fish farming and marine fish

breeding grounds. There is also likely to be the flooding of lowland communities,

which the forest and water catchment currently protect.