INTRODUCTION

Water is at the core of sustainable development, socioeconomic progress, healthy ecosystems,

and human life. The protection, preservation, and revival of its quality is an imperative. Republic Act No.
9275 or ‘The Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004’ is one of the most important pieces of environmental
legislation ever produced for the sustainable management of the country’s water resources. Its objective is
to “formulate an Integrated Water Quality Management Framework through proper delegation and
effective coordination of functions and activities.” This includes frequent and regular water quality
monitoring.

Nowadays, water can originate from a variety of places, such as ditches, streams, or treatment
facilities. This water may occasionally come into touch with germs, viruses, dissolved metals, household
and plant waste, and other substances that might be dangerous if consumed by people. Sampling is an
effective way to monitor such imprities and contaminants. Water sampling and analysis is a method of
water assessment wherein samples must be taken from the site of interest, and their physical and
biochemical properties are measured. These findings are compared to the requirements for water quality
set out in laws and regulations to evaluate whether the water may be used as is or whether further
treatment is necessary to make it appropriate for the intended usage.

Types of Sampling Method

Two types of water sampling procedures have been introduced by Matamoros (2012) in his
literature, regarding the time span during which the samples are gathered: (1) Discrete sampling and (2)
composite sampling.

1. Discrete sampling: Often referred to as a grab sampling, it is a single sample that has been
gathered in its own container. Only the time and place in which the sample was obtained make it
indicative of the water’s chemistry. The time frame is typically seen as being shorter than 15
minutes. Determining when discrete samples are acceptable depends on whether the sample
composition is time dependent.

2. Composite sampling: It is made up of several smaller samples that are mixed together in the same
container, and taken after specific flows or at specific time intervals, usually 24 hours. Therefore,
the analysis of this data, which was gathered over time, will represent the typical operation of a
wastewater treatment facility throughout the data collecting period.

Water Sampling Parameters

Meanwhile, Test parameters for water samples provide information about the water's qualities or
conditions. Three categories may be used to classify the key parameters: (1) Physical parameters, (2)
Chemical parameters, and (3) Microbiological parameters. [See Table 1.1 for details]

Water Parameters Scope

Physical Conductivity, temperature, resistivity, effluent analysis
Chemical Total dissolved solids (TDS), pH, dissolved oxygen
Microbiological Coliforms, E.coli, Enterococci, Staphylococci
Table 1.1 Three categories of water parameters together with some examples

For standard sampling, the key parameters usually measured are: (1) pH: Acidity or alkalinity of
water sample; (2) Temperature: Water’s heat content; (3) Dissolved oxygen (DO): Amount of oxygen
dissolved in water which also refers to the amount of oxygen available to living aquatic organisms; (4)
Total dissolved solids (TDS): Amount of minerals, salts, metals, cations, or anions dissolved in water; (5)
Conductivity: Water sample’s capacity to conduct electricity; (6) Turbidity: Amount of suspended
particulate matter, and (7) Phosphates: A prerequisite to algal bloom. Such parameters are crucial for
determining the quality of the water since they indicate their implications to aquatic life or human health
through a descriptive and quantitative manner.

Categories of Pollution

Environmental regulatory organizations distinguish between point-source and nonpoint-source

pollution as the two primary types of pollution.

Point source pollution is any pollutant that enters the environment from a readily recognizable
and contained location, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Fire
discharge pipelines, drainage ditches, and smokestacks are a few examples to illustrate.

Manufacturing facilities and power plants also have the potential to cause point-source pollution
that harms both the air and the water. Carbon monoxide, heavy metals, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide,
and "particulate matter" (tiny particles) are just a few of the gases that smokestacks may release into the
atmosphere. Additionally, wastewater from oil refineries, paper mills, and auto companies that use water
in their industrial processes can be released into rivers, lakes, or the ocean as effluent, which contains
dangerous chemical contaminants.

Municipal wastewater treatment facilities are yet another typical point-source pollution source. A
treatment plant's effluent can contaminate rivers with bacteria and nutrients. Algae in water can grow out
of control as a result of these nutrients.

Nonpoint-source pollution refers to contaminants that are dispersed across a large region or area.
Take a city street in the middle of a rainstorm as an illustration. Rubber fragments from tire treads, dog
feces, and rubbish are all washed away by precipitation when it falls on asphalt. The storm drain where
the runoff was directed eventually empties into a neighboring river. Nonpoint-source contamination is
frequently brought on by runoff. In a logged-over forest tract, runoff in rural areas can remove silt off the
roadways. It may also transport acid from defunct mines, and drain fertilizer and pesticides from
agricultural fields. All of this pollution will most probably be washed to waterbodies.

Guidelines and regulations under RA 9275 help limit both categories of pollution.

Classification of Water Body

Water bodies are distinguished into five classifications based on their intended beneficial usage.
The first classification for freshwater is class AA, or Public Water Supply Class I, which is primarily for
watersheds that are uninhabited or otherwise designated as protected areas and that only need to be
disinfected in accordance with approved protocols to meet the most recent Philippine National Standards
for Drinking Water (PNSDW). Second is Class A or the or Public Water Supply Class II. It is meant as
sources of water supply that needs conventional treatment including coagulation, sedimentation, filtration,
and disinfection to satisfy the most recent PNSDW. Third is class B or Recreational Water Class I, which
is intended for primary contact recreation such as bathing and swimming.

Subsequently, Class C encompasses the following intended usage (1) Fishery water used for fish
reproduction and resource growth in aquatic environments; (2) Recreational Water Class I which is meant
for boating, fishing, or related purposes; and (3) Agriculture, irrigation, and livestock watering. Finally,
Class D is intended for navigable waters.

Water Quality Guidelines (WQG) and General Effluent Standards (GES)

Water quality guidelines emphasize the laws and guidelines established in accordance with RA
9275, which are meant to protect the public's health, aquatic resources, crops, and other living things by
maintaining and preserving the quality of all water bodies based on their intended beneficial uses. These
standards were set by the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Water Quality
Guidelines and General Effluent Standards of 2016 to determine what amount of a certain water quality
parameter is acceptable.The guidelines are categorized as primary and secondary parameters which
provide quantitative measurements as standards that need to be met in order to assess and maintain water
quality.

Primary parameters refers to water quality parameters that must be monitored at a minimum level
for each water body. Table 1.2, as provided by the DENR, shows the factors considered under the primary
parameters.

Parameter Unit Water Body Classification

AA A B C D SA SB SC SD
BOD mg/L 1 3 5 7 15 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Chloride mg/L 250 250 250 350 400 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Color TCU 5 50 50 75 150 5 50 75 150
Dissolved
Oxygen mg/L 5 5 5 5 2 6 6 5 2
(Minimum)
Fecal Coliform MPN/
<1.1 <1.1 100 200 400 <1.1 100 200 400
100mL
Nitrate as NO3-
mg/L 7 7 7 7 15 10 10 10 15
N
pH (Range) 6.5 to 6.5 to 6.5 to 6.5 to 6.0 to 7.0 to 7.0 to 6.5 to 6.0 to
8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0 9.0 8.5 8.5 8.5 9.0
Phosphate mg/L <0.003 0.5 0.5 0.5 5 0.1 0.5 0.5 5
Temperature C 26-30 26-30 26-30 25-31 25-32 26-30 26-30 25-31 25-32
Total
Suspended mg/L 25 50 65 80 110 25 50 80 110
Solids
Table 1.2 Water quality guidelines for primary parameters

Concequently, secondary parameters are additional water quality parameters that will be
employed in baseline assessment as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment and other water quality
monitoring purposes of the Ambient Water Quality Monitoring Manual issued through EMB
Memorandum Circular 2008-008. These encompass parameters for organic and inorganic compounds,
metals, and other composites that might pose as a potential pollutant or contaminant in the water body of
interest.

General effluent standards are federally mandated specifications for the wastewater that is
released into surface waterways and sewage treatment facilities for municipal purposes in the US. The
effectiveness of treatment and control technology is the basis on which the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) issues these rules for various industrial groups.
 In the Philippine context, GES is based on the most probable pollutant that a type of industry will
discharge into the environment. The sectors considered for significant effluent quality parameters are (1)
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing; (2) Mining and quarrying; (3) Manufacturing; (4) Electricity, gas,
steam, and airconditioning supply; (5) wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and
mortorcycles; (6) Transport and storage; (7) Accommodation and food service; (8) Real estate activities;
(9) Professional, scientific and technical activities; (10) Education; (11) Human health and social works;
(12) Other service activities; and (13) Other classifications. Regardless of the type of industry, however,
any point source's emission must always adhere to the effluent standards outlined in section 70 of the
DENR AO No. 2016-08.

An updated version of the GES was published on 30 th June 2021 by the DENR under the
Administrative Order No. 2021-19. This Administrative Order partially modifies the fundamental
wastewater management law, DENR AO No. 2016-08. The DENR AO No. 2016-08, which the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) assisted in developing, was the prior effluent standards' first
thorough change in approximately 20 years. However, there were worries that some of the permissible
restrictions were too rigorous for businesses to follow from the start. Industry organizations from other
nations, in addition to those from Japan, have voiced similar concerns and have campaigned and
requested changes to the Philippine DENR. Finally, a change was made in 2021. Some requirements for
AO No. 2021-19 have been relaxed in response to requests from the industries, but the standards for
nitrate and chloride are still fairly tight. Under this amendment, standard values of six parameters namely,
NH3-N, boron, bopper, fecal coliform, phosphorus, and sulfate have been raised as part of the major
changes.

Ecological Importance

Water bodies such as rivers are a component of a dynamic ecosystem that are always undergoing
change. While DO and pH often fluctuate during the day, they can retain steady levels from season to
season. In contrast, parameters like alkalinity and conductivity can keep relatively stable values
throughout time. With significant physical occurrences, variables like nutrition load and secchi depths
frequently alter. Both parameters may increase during a rainstorm due to the massive volumes of nutrient-
rich sediment that are introduced, but the parameters may decrease during a dry period when material
settles out.

Sampling enables authorities to set baseline values, enhancing knowledge and comprehension of
a waterbody's particular issues. Parameters like alkalinity and conductivity are analogous to the yearly
physical each waterbody is recommended to have. Major swings in parameter values can indicate that
something may be out of balance, leading to an unhealthy water source. Meanwhile, the amount of
organic matter and water temperature both have an impact on DO. Fish deaths are mostly caused by a
shortage of DO, particularly in the summer when water temperatures are high. The presence of certain
algaecides and herbicides as well as the types of fish that are there can all be impacted by pH.

Results of water sampling can also give real-time readings and help decide what the best course
of action is for a particular waterbody, such as whether a treatment system or an aeration system should
be put in place.

Ultimately, the more data that can be acquired about a particular waterbody, the more
ecologically conscious and budget-friendly site-specific management plan can be created to effectively
assist in balancing the complex and dynamic aquatic ecosystems This can help ensure the safety and
welfare of the ecosystem in general.
 Definition of Terms

This section presents the definition of the technical terms used in this study.

a) “Biological Parameters” of water refer to any microbiological organisms that inhabit a specific
waterbody that may pose as a health hazard.

b) “Chemical Parametes” of water include, but are not limited to, pH, dissolved oxygen, metals, heavy
metals, and total dissolved solids.

c) “Discharge” includes, but is not limited to, the act of spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting,
emptying, releasing, or dumping of any material into a water body or onto land from which it might
flow or drain into said water (DENR AO N0.2016-08, p.2).

d) “Effluent” efers to wastewater flowing out of a manufacturing facility, industrial facility, including
household, commercial, and recreational facilities, discharges from known sources that are passed
into a body of water or land.

e) “Freshwater” refers to waterbodies that contain less than 1000 milligrams per liter of salt.

f) “General Effluent Standards” refers to any legal restrictions or limitations on the quantities, rates,
and/or concentrations, or any combination thereof, of physical, chemical, or biological parameters of
effluent that a person or point source is allowed to discharge into a body of water or land. These
restrictions or limitations apply to all industry categories and are defined in accordance with the
classification of the receiving water body.

g) “Intended Beneficial Usage” refers to using the environment, or any part of it, in a way that
promotes the welfare, safety, or health of the public or of individuals; this includes, but is not limited
to, using water for domestic, municipal, irrigation, power generation, fisheries, livestock raising,
industrial, recreational, and other uses.

h) “Physical Parameters” of water include, but are not limited to, conductivity, resistivity, and effluent
analysis.

i) “Pollutants or Contaminants” are any substance — be it in solid, liquid, gaseous, or radioactive

form — that may directly or indirectly (1) Alter the natural, physical, chemical, and biological
composition of the water; (2) Cause potential hazards to human and environmental health and
welfare; and (3) exceed permissible limitations in term of concentration under the prescribed
standards established in RA 9275.

j) “Sample Analysis” is a method of testing water samples for the detection of pollution indicators that
may affect the physical, chemical, biological, and radiological characteristics of the water body of
interest.

k) “Sampling” is a technique for obtaining and delivering a water sample for examination that is typical
of the majority of the water being studied.
l) “Sustainable Water Management” refers to any means for ensuring that there is enough clean,
fresh drinking water to fulfill the demands of the present and future generations as well as for
household, agricultural, industrial, and other sector purposes.

m) “Wastewater” is water that has already been used for domestic, industrial, and commercial purposes.

n) “Water Body” refers to both natural and man-made bodies of fresh, brackish, and saltwater. It
encompasses aquifers, groundwater, springs, creeks, streams, rivers, ponds, lagoons, water reservoirs,
lakes, bays, estuaries, coastal, and marine waters. They exclude those built, developed, and utilized
specifically as water treatment facilities and/or water storage for recycling and reusing, which are
essential to process industry or manufacturing.
o) “Water Pollution” occurs when pollutants contaminate water sources and render the water unfit for
use in drinking, cooking, cleaning, swimming, and other activities, as well as, alter the physical,
chemical, biological, and/or radiological makeup of the waterbody.

p) “Water Quality” refers to the acceptability of water for various applications depending on its
physical, chemical, and biological characteristics.

q) “Water Quality Guidelines (WQG)” refer to the concentration of a water component or the
numerical values of physical, chemical, biological, and radiological characteristics that are used to
categorize water resources and their usage, that do not pose a serious danger to human and
environmental health.

r) “Water Quality Monitoring” is a means of gathering information on the condition and quality of a
certain water body of interest, and measuring the gathered parameters to determine whether such
waters are safe for its intended beneficial purpose and whether it adheres to the prescribed standards
established in RA 9275.

s) “Water Quality Parameters” include the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water
that are tested, analyzed, and monitored to ensure the protection and preservation of the water’s
quality.