MCDCB Wants Ordinance for Mandatory Removal of Wastes

●MCWD said there are already signs that the ground water is infiltrated with E.coli bacteria (bacteria from human wastes) that could infiltrate the aquifer where MCWD gets its water.

The Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB) has urged local government units to pass an ordinance for mandatory dislodging of wastes.

“Maybe we should request the legislative bodies of the LGUs to pass an ordinance on it,” said Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III, chairman of MCDCB.

Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) has taken up the responsibility for this mandatory dislodging, according to MCWD general manager Ernie Delco.

“Human wastes, which could infiltrate the ground water, is also “affecting us,” being a source of water to the whole metro.” he said.

Delco said that even those vacuumed from households, wastes are disposed to rivers or just anywhere, as companies paid to do the job don’t have treatment plants.

“This endangers the water supply more”, he said.

“This is very important. Ang mga tawo raba dili kakita. Diha maproblema kung mag-clog na. they let it flow to the drainage. Before moadto sa dagat moadato pa sa sapa, then mo-infiltrate sa atong aquifer,” Delco added.

Of the eight LGUs which MCWD is servicing, so far, only Cebu City and Cordova town have approved an ordinance for mandatory dislodging of wastes.

MCDCB directed its secretariat to furnish a “sample ordinance” to other LGUs for them to follow. But since it will take time to have the remaining LGUs to do their part, Delco said they will go ahead with the first phase of the project starting with Cebu City and Cordova.

Before the end of the year, MCWD will construct one septage treatment plant in Cordova, which will serve the entire Mactan Island, and one in Cebu City for the use of the city itself and the neighboring localities.

Delco said there are already signs that the ground water is infiltrated with E.coli bacteria (from fecal wastes), and this could infiltrate the aquifer, where MCWD gets its water.

He, however, clarified that MCWD water passes through three treatment systems before it reaches the household faucets. Although the bacteria in ground water is not yet alarming, Delco said Metro Cebu should not wait for that to happen.

Once all the LGUs have agreed to the mandatory dislodging, and the treatment plants are built, vacuum trucks will collect the wastes from household septic tanks and deposit these to the plant for treatment, Delco said.

There is, however, a fee to this, which will be reflected in the water bill.

“Gi-finalize pa ang presyo, but very affordable. Dili siguro moabot og P3 per cubic,” Delco said.