MCWD asks Mandaue to use Umapad landfill for septage treatment facility

CEBU, Philippines - The Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) is asking the Mandaue City Government to allow them to use the one-hectare property in the Barangay Umapad Landfill for the establishment of a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) pending the conduct of a feasibility study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

However, MCWD Acting General Manager Noel R. Dalena's request was referred to the Committee on Environmental Protection for its report and recommendation.

"Being a water district, (it) is mandated by law to implement a comprehensive septage management program in all of our area of service.  We have now an operational septage treatment plant in the island Mactan," Dalena said.

Dalena added that the management want to duplicate the septage treatment plant "as we are on the early stage of advancing this program in the City of Mandaue."

Dalena added they were given an opportunity for the realization of the program in a possible grant from JICA with the City of  Yokohama, which is now on its feasibility study phase.

One of the requirements in the grant is the proposed location and lot to be occupied of the septage treatment facility.

"We humbly request your legislative support for the use of one hectare in the Umapad Landfill (for) the JICA study and hopefully for it to be the final stage of the STP. We extend our grateful appreciation to your favorable consideration and support as together we strive for a clean and sustainable drinking water sources for the constituents of the City of Mandaue," Dalena said.

The Septage and Sewerage Management Ordinance in the city was passed in 2016 that hopes to establish a proper Sewage Treatment and Septage Management System in Mandaue City that ensures a sustainable clean environment.

Under the ordinance, it requires the desludging of septic tanks every five years, but not all residents are able to comply due to the cost.

What made matters worse is that the private companies offering desludging services do not have waste treatment facilities.

MCWD is planning to put up septage treatment facilities in three areas in Metro Cebu, including the one in Cordova, which will serve the people of the town as well as those from Lapu-Lapu City.

There are private desludgers operating in Metro Cebu but there is no facility that treats septage, which raised the question on the proper disposal of these wastes. —/GAN (FREEMAN)