Environmental Impacts of River Aggregate Quarrying in Masiu, Lanao del Sur: Water Quality Degradation and Community-Based Perception

Abstract

River aggregate quarrying is increasingly practiced in rural river systems to support infrastructure development, yet its environmental impacts remain inadequately documented in many resource-dependent communities. This study assessed the environmental impacts of river aggregate quarrying in Masiu, Lanao del Sur by integrating laboratory-based water quality analysis with community-based environmental perception data to determine the extent of water quality degradation and its correspondence with lived experience. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving physico-chemical and bacteriological analysis of nine river water samples collected from left bank, midstream, and right bank sections, alongside a structured survey administered to 200 household respondents across six barangays at varying distances from quarrying zones, supplemented by semi-structured interviews. Results revealed that key water quality parameters, particularly turbidity, total dissolved solids, apparent color, and pH, frequently exceeded national drinking water standards in quarry-influenced sections, with the most pronounced degradation observed in midstream areas.