The city government here, under Mayor Pablo C. Ortega has intensified its environmental advocacy through its Water Conservation Program, by embarking on a Septage Treatment Facility project, supported by a Netherlands bank, the United States Assistance for International Development and the Ecological Sanitation (ECOSAN) technology.
City Environmental Officer Valmar Valdez revealed in a 2004 water sampling studies conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, that out of 59 barangays in the city, 56 are positive of coliform contamination, bacteria which arise from human feces.
“This means there is a ‘big problem’ on contamination,” Valdez said and added that a big factor came from an improper handling of septic tanks on commercial establishments and households.
A plan to have the facility built at a 1.6 hectare-lot beside the sanitary landfill is being proposed as the site.
On his part, the Mayor said that the plan is to put and treat all dislodged wastes from septic tanks in the said area. “If the project pushes through, we will start on commercial centers,” he said, “This administration will do all it can to prevent the pollution going to our water level.”
Because of the staggering costs spent, household residents usually allow their septic tanks filled to the brim before dislodging them through commercial extractors.
“They spend around P8, 000 per cubic meter because they transport the wastes to Baguio,” Valdez said, “That’s their biggest problem, the transport and treatment fees,” he added.
The proposed treatment facility would lessen the expenses to 50 percent if implemented, it was also learned.
A City Ordinance is also in the offing, providing a mandatory commercial and household septic tank’s waste extrication after 3 to 5 years. A household today usually waits up to 25 to 30 years, depending on its sizes, to be dislodged. Most septic tanks are constructed without cemented- bottoms, as a result, leachate or waste juices are absorbed by the soil, eventually flowing to the aquifer.
During the administration of ex-Mayor Mary Jane Ortega, the city government spent P1-million in drilling a spring well in Barangay Siboan-Otong. “From our study, the spring water is safe and pure,” Valdez said.
USAID agents sent to inspect the proposed site reportedly approved he area for its accessibility.
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