‘Water lily ‘invasion’ in Pasig River due to

pollution’ — DENR
Published October 6, 2020, 4:27 PM
by  Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz
https://mb.com.ph/2020/10/06/water-lily-invasion-in-pasig-river-due-to-pollution-denr/

The recent invasion of water lilies in a portion of the Pasig River may have been due to
water pollution from fertilizers used in aquaculture farming and domestic wastes, according
to an office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

DENR’s Pasig River Coordinating and Management Office (PRCMO) said water lilies or
water hyacinths are usually observed thriving in Pasig River during the rainy season.

“The recent proliferation of the aquatic plant in the Pasig River can be attributed to the high
level of nutrients in the water, probably because of aquaculture farming areas in the
upstream portion of the Pasig River System, as well as due to the domestic wastes that
drain from the tributaries to the main river,” PRCMO said in a social media post.

The DENR office called on the public to be “environmentally-responsible” to prevent from

further polluting the Pasig River.

During a cleanup in Parola, Tondo last weekend, the department’s “river warriors” were
able to collect around 120 sacks of waste along the riverbanks near the entrance to Manila
Bay. 

Most of the wastes that were recovered were domestic or household wastes from residents
living near or along waterways and water hyacinths flowing from Laguna de Bay, the
PRCMO said.

It said that with the collective efforts of DENR-PRCMO and its partner-stakeholders, “we
will not only stop the spread of water hyacinths, but more importantly, stop the abuse and
misuse of our waterways for a cleaner, healthier, and safer environment and a better
future.” 

Water hyacinth, with scientific name “Eichhoria crassipes,” is an aquatic plant which can
live and reproduce while floating on the surface of freshwaters.

The plant size ranges from six inches to 38 inches depending on its growing condition.
Its rate of proliferation under certain growth habitat could be extremely rapid, causing vast
infestation of large areas of water.