In the midst of Dumaguete’s controversy involving the Sangguniang Panlungsod and the Dumaguete City Water District, I began reflecting what transpired in the past years, especially after I graduated a special course on urban environmental solutions in the United States through a scholarship grant from the U.S. Department of State, and another course in Sanitation and Wastewater Management in the U.S. through a study grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Several years ago, studies have shown poor water quality in Dumaguete City’s coastal waters and the high risk of groundwater contamination. Potential contaminants in the city were 16 deep wells, 1,000 shallow wells, and more than 20,000 septic tanks. Because the groundwater is the city’s only source of drinking water supply, the city government of Dumaguete — with technical assistance from the USAID through its Local Initiatives for Affordable Wastewater Treatment Project — adopted a septage management program.
This was a joint venture with the Dumaguete City Water District, a national government-owned and controlled corporation. To further minimize degradation of the city’s coastal waters, the city also constructed a decentralized wastewater treatment plant for the city’s public market in 2007.
To institutionalize the septage program, the city government adopted City Ordinance No. 18, s. 2006 which mandates the establishment of a city-wide septage management system with provisions on the proper design, maintenance, regular desludging of septic tanks, and treatment of septage. It also provides for a “user fee” to recover capital and operating costs.
In this endeavor, the City government, in cooperation with DCWD, utilized their own funds to build and operate the 2-hectare offsite septage lagoons. Operation started in May 2010. The project was the first locally-initiated and funded city-wide septage management system in the Philippines which won the prestigious Galing-Pook Award in 2012.
I was City vice-mayor then when we wrote the Septage Ordinance, and together with then CPDO Engr. Josephine Antonio, pushed for the creation of a Technical Working Group to finalize the draft measures which would be presented to the Sangguniang Panlungsod for deliberation and approval. A series of TWG meetings and workshops were conducted to make sure that all areas of concerns for the effective implementation of the ordinance would be properly addressed.
A series of information campaign with social marketing materials was conducted by the city government to inform the public on the proposed septage ordinance, and more importantly, the imposition of a “user fee” of P2.00 per cubic meter of water consumed by households or establishments as an “add-on” to the monthly water bill.
The construction of the treatment facility started in 2008 and was completed in May 2010. Total cost of the facility including the acquisition of 8 septage trucks was about P26 million. The success of the project has caught the attention of other LGUs. Subsequent to its construction, numerous groups from various local government units and non-government organizations in the Philippines and other countries have visited the treatment plant since July 2010 and made inquiries on how to establish a septage management system. The success of the Dumaguete Septage Management System has been realized mainly because of the city’s local government leaders’ determination in pursuing environmental goals.
It must be noted that the implementation of the septage management system is a partnership between city government and DCWD with 50-50 sharing of capital and operating costs. The two will be sharing the net income and that the collection of septage fee will be the task of the DCWD. Five percent of the amount collected will go to the DCWD to cover administrative expenses related to billing and collection as per MOA.
The recurring expenditures of the system are the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses, assistance of P1million per year to host barangay (Bgy. Camanjac), 25 percent contingency reserve, and equal sharing of net revenues between City government and DCWD.
The MOA is very specific in its stipulations that the DCWD is limited only to the billing and collection of fees imposed by the City Government for the desludging of the septic tanks of households, business establishments and other institutions in the city. The MOA never stipulated that the DCWD will manage the septage facility.
Unfortunately, it appears that the DCWD is performing management duties which are the sole jurisdiction of the city government.
In fact, in the Septage Management Ordinance, it was clearly provided that the administration and enforcement of the ordinance for new buildings is vested in the Building Official of the City Government of Dumaguete (Sec. 10).
There is strong implication then that it is the City Septage Management Authority — composed of representatives from the City ENRO, City Health Office, GSO, City Treasurer’s Office, DCWD, City Legal Office, City Engineer’s Office and a non-government organization — is the one responsible for the implementation of the ordinance and management of the septage facility.
However, at present, it seems the DCWD is the one managing the facility.
It is strongly suggested that the present ruckus between city officials and DCWD be ironed out as soon as possible to avoid jeopardizing the welfare and water needs of the city’s constituents and so as not to further harm both DCWD’s and the city’s coffers.
It must be borne in mind that while the septage management system is not the final solution to the city’s wastewater concerns , it will definitely suffice until a better sewerage system or decentralized wastewater collection and treatment systems will be in place.
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Author’s email: wea_129@yahoo.com
