DENR orders Boracay firms near shore to build sewage treatment plants

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ordered establishments along the Boracay shoreline to build their own sewage treatment plants.

In a statement, Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu told establishments near the shore that the DENR will be enforcing Presidential Directive 2018-0081 which requires them to have their own treatment facilities.

He was speaking at a workshop over the weekend to prepare stakeholders for Water Quality Management Area ( WQMA) status under the Clean Water Act of 2004.

“The establishments there must have their own treatment plants. There’s no other solution,” he added.

The DENR added that it will be shutting down an illegal pipeline along the shore owned and managed by Boracay Island Water Co., Inc. ( Boracay Water), which is a joint venture of Manila Water Co. and the Tourism and Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).

Boracay Water’s pipeline was found to have gone beyond the 25 plus five meters easement rule and was laid down along the nobuild zone.

The DENR earlier ordered Boracay Water and Boracay Tubi Systems, Inc. to expand their capacity to accommodate more waste water.

About 200 establishments are currently not connected to Boracay Water’s sewage system.

“As of today, there is a capacity shortage. What more if the 200 are connected? It will create more problems... so therefore, those who can’t connect must build their own treatment plant,” Mr. Cimatu said.

Mr. Cimatu added that hotels in stations one to three with more than 49 rooms, which are required to have their own STPs, can also approach companies offering STP services.

According to DENR, some 15 million liters per day (MLD) of waste water requires treatment, but the island’s capacity only covers 12 MLD. —