DPWH Promotes Initiative For Clean Water

Iloilo City — A program on sewerage and septage management is being pushed to keep water bodies clean from land-based waste sources.

DPWH-6 Information Officer Vivian Tan said the nationwide program is in answer to Republic Act 9275 of the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004.

Tan added that the National Sewerage and Septage Management Program is part of the integrated framework for water quality management.

The program is meant for local implementers like the local government units water districts and private service providers for them to develop the on-the ground projects and programs on sewerage and septage project of the implementors.
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The program seeks to address various national issues on sanitation and treatment  as well as disposal of waste water.

According to DPWH-6 Director Wenceslao Leano the program further aims to contribute to the improvement of water quality and public health in the country by enhancing the ability of the implementers to build and operate waste water treatment systems.

Meanwhile, in a promotion campaign and coordination meeting held recently, some institutions offered support for the program.

The Department of Finance, through Ms. May Rose Faner, provided insights on its funding agreement on sanitation, while the Development Bank of the Philippines in Iloilo presented its Green Financing Program, which can assist LGUs in establishing structures.

Data showed that more than 20 million Filipinos do not have access to proper sanitation and about seven million practice open defecation.

According to the Water and Sanitation Program Sustainable Sanitation for East Asia Study in 2008 the design of most septic tanks do not conform to the standards prescribed by the Department of Health.

The same report said that most toilets do not have septic tanks, have open bottom chambers, not regularly dislodged and the septage removed is not treated or removed properly.

The study further revealed that the effects of this included economic losses exceeding P78 billion per year and fifty-five deaths per day as well as damage to ecosystems and biodiversity. (JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)