Manila Water Company: World Bank hails wastewater treatment plant

World Bank hails wastewater treatment plant

Posted: Monday April 2, 2007

Metro Manila took another step closer to an era of pollution-free rivers and waterways as Manila Water Company is set to inaugurate its largest septage treatment plant, a major component of the company’s $64-million Manila Third Sewerage Project (MTSP).

The World Bank, which bankrolled construction of the plant, cited Manila Water for overshooting its target completion date.

“We congratulate you for having completed the project ahead of time,” World Bank Country Director Joachim von Amsberg told Manila Water President Tony Aquino during a visit to the South Septage Treatment Plant (SSTP) being built within the FTI complex in Taguig City.

James Adams, World Bank Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific, was equally impressed with the efficient and speedy construction of the facility, designed to directly benefit some 3.3 million people in Metro Manilas East Zone, which composes Manila Waters concession area.

“We consider this as a highly significant project as this treatment plant represents the interest of Manila Water and World Bank to preserve our environment,” Aquino stressed.

He said that the septage treatment plant or SpTP would be instrumental in ensuring that domestic wastewater in the East Zone is properly collected and treated before it flows back to the waterways.

Studies showed that 85 percent of the population used septic tanks to separate sludge from liquid. However, these septic tanks have to be desludged or cleaned regularly to prevent the highly pollutive contents of septic tanks to seep into the drainage systems or into natural waterways. A World Bank study revealed that domestic wastewater has been a major source of water pollution in the country.

With a capacity of 814 cubic meters per day, the FTI facility can desludge 86,000 households per year during in its initial phase of operation, increasing to more than 112,000 by 2022. Its service area covers Makati, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Taguig, Pateros and Pasig.

A similar septage facility is under construction in San Mateo, Rizal, still part of the MTSP package that also involves the acquisition of more than 40 desludging tankers to render free sanitation service to Manila Water’s 5.3 million customers in its service area, and the trebling of current sewer service coverage.