CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The chairman of the City Council Committee on Health on Thursday confirmed that dirty water caused the death of five residents of a hinterland barangay here and the hospitalization of another eight residents.

Councilor Dante Pajo said the victims succumbed to diarrhea after drinking water from a well that is contaminated with the Escherichia Coli (E.coli) bacteria.

The presence of E.coli in the water indicates that the water is contaminated with fecal waste.

Pajo identified the victims as Laila Caingin, Concino Dalao, Lindjoy Aben, Rita Aben and Inday Larino, all residents of barangay Tignapoloan where safe drinking water is a problem, especially during summer.

He also said that eight other residents of Tignapoloan, mostly children, are confined at the J.R. Borja Memorial City Hospital.

He said he received reports that so far, 14 residents of Tignapoloan have suffered from diarrhea after drinking water from the well.

“They get their drinking water from the well, which is not fit for human consumption,” he said.

Tignapoloan barangay chairman Renato Rances said a team from the City Health Office is already in the barangay conducting water analysis as well as assessing the situation of the area.

Rances also said the victims are residents of an area nearest the boundary of the barangay and Lanao del Sur.