ACWD eyes septage management implementation by early 2019

ANGELES CITY — A top official of the Angeles City Water District (ACWD) said the water facility’s septage management system will likely start by first quarter of 2019.

ACWD general manager Reynaldo Liwanag said the water district is waiting for the approval of its proposed environment fee rates from the Local Water Utility Administration (LWUA).

“LWUA is the one who will authorize me to collect the environment fee from the concessionaires of the Angeles City Water District,” Liwanag sai d.

The environment fee is expected to be pegged at 10 percent of the monthly water bills of consumers, according to him. “For example your montlyforthe water consumption for this month is worth P220, you will pay 22 pesos on top of your water bill.”

Septic tanks will be desludge in three to five years, Liwanag added.

“Within three to five years, you are paying in installment the environment fee based on the volume of water you consumed,” the ACWD official said.

But Liwanag clarified that the septic tank desludging fee will have a cap of P4,500 to P5,000.

Septage Management System refers to the comprehensive programs for managing septic tanks and the procedures for the desludging, transporting, treating and disposing of septic tank contents.

The ACWD has constructed a septage water treatment plant inside its 4,000 square meter property in Barangay Cutud, Liwanag said.

The water district spent around P100 million for the project which is expected to get an accreditation or permit from the city government by December this year.

Liwanag said the Supreme Court has directed the city government to implement the project and majority of the city officials supports the ACWD’s septage management system.

Aside from providing potable water to some 55,000 consumers, the ACWD is also mandated to implement the septage project.

“There is a mandamus from the Supreme Court that by 2020, all septage management systems should be put up by water districts and local government units in Pampanga, Bulacan and other places draining water and have indirect contribution to the pollution at the Manila Bay,” Liwanag sai d.

The ACWD has acquired two trucks worth P20 million which will be used in the collection of sludge from the septic tanks, the water district official added.