A number of streets in the city of Manila experienced flooding during heavy rains last Friday. And if you’ve been keeping up with the news as well as social media, some folks have speculated that the Dolomite Beach is to blame. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has announced that the actual cause of the said floods is the current construction of a pumping station in several areas.
Heavy rains in the city of Manila resulted in a number of areas being flooded
Of note, this was determined by MMDA Acting General Manager Baltazar Melgar and his team during a recent field inspection. He specifically said that the artificial beach is not the reason why flood waters were slow to subside, and instead pointed to the ongoing works by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the three pumping stations that are scheduled to be completed in October 2022.
These comprise the Estero De San Antonio station, Padre Faure Drainage station, and the Remedios Drainage station. The construction of these facilities meant that the increased water volume flowing through the Pasig River because of the rains had to be diverted to the Balete Pumping Station.
So, while these constructions were determined to be the cause of the floods, their completion is also crucial for the city. Once these stations are completed and operational, they can filter and treat the wastewater of sewage before finally pumping it into Manila Bay.
The Dolomite Beach along Roxas Boulevard in Manila [Photo: patrickroque01]
If one remembers, the government is currently working on lowering the coliform level count on the surrounding waters of Manila Bay. The said pumps are part of these projects, with the objective of making the water safe for swimmers and beachgoers.
So again, the MMDA says that the Manila Dolomite Beach did not cause the flooding, attributing it to the construction of the said pumping stations. Hopefully once the pumping stations are completed, the city will have better flood control for future rainy seasons.
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