‘PSS Lake’ forms at Lower Base

Stagnant water that has pooled in the backyard of the Public School System’s Procurement and Supply Office and the Pupil Transportation Office in Lower Base has become such a constant frustration that site employees have come to call it “PSS Lake.”

The heavy rains only exacerbate the situation and the resulting stagnant water emanates a foul odor that could be smelled throughout the vicinity.

“We have been complaining about this situation for a long time now,” said PSS school bus supervisor Ramon Salas, adding that fish are already living in the stagnant water. “Those are tilapias.”

During heavy downpours, the water level rises and reaches even the interior of the PSS offices, he said. Worse, if it rains for three to four hours, the entire compound is usually swamped with foul-smelling floodwaters.

In such cases, Salas said supplies in both offices have to brought to a platform to keep them away from the water. This is one of the reasons why cabinets and other office furniture have degraded fast due to rust caused by the water runoff into the office, he said.

“The water most of the time reaches up to four inches, with mud,” Salas said.

The bus supervisor said they have already complained to the appropriate government agencies about the situation. He said it has been more than two years since “PSS Lake” started bothering them.

As far as he could recall, the problem started when the Department of Public Works Solid Waste Management Division Transfer Station was constructed next to the PSS buildings.

The staff members, Salas said, have tried solving the problem on their own, even borrowing pumps and raking off the water brought by the recent rains.

“The water just comes back again and again. The water comes from the hill all the way down to our office,” Salas said.

Salas said PSS acting commissioner of education David M. Borja had written to DPW Secretary Juan S. Reyes, Public Health Secretary James U. Hofschneider and Division of Environmental Quality director John I. Castro in September.

“So far, no one from these offices have responded to our complaint,” said Salas.

In his letter to three officials, Borja said: “This is to inform you that [employees] here have been encountering on a daily basis foul odor coming from the Lower Base Transfer Facility when the prevailing winds are just right.” He said that his staff did not have this problem before the transfer facility began operations.

Borja asked the officials whether an environmental impact assessment for the operations of the transfer facility was conducted prior to its construction. He also questioned if an environmental quality or medical determination was made to assure the safety of individuals who would breathe the foul odor from the stagnant water.

The acting commissioner requested assistance from the DPW to cut drainage channels so that the water can flow from the bus parking areas and prevent the breeding of mosquitoes.