NO OIL SPILL: Personnel from SUBICWATER and the Olongapo City Public Affairs Office (PAO) conducted a follow-up inspection this morning along the Sta. Rita River, from the raw water pumping station near Clark Street (upstream) down to the Sta. Rita Bridge (downstream).

Yesterday, a concerned citizen raised the possibility of an oil spill after noticing that water has turned black. SUBICWATER immediately put oil adsorbent booms at its raw water intakes and dispatched its Mobile Laboratory to collect and test water samples.

While test results are yet to be available, what SUBICWATER can confirm for now is that there was no incident of oil contamination, and that the water quality upstream remains fit for for the Mabayuan Water Treatment Plant (MWTP).

What the residents observed downstream– of water turning to a dark color– may most likely be due to the absence of dissolved oxygen when water stagnates.