7 October 2022
The City Government of Davao, in partnership with the Davao City Water District (DCWD), is expected to launch the Davao City Septage Management Program next year, in a bid to establish an institutionalized waste water management system in the city.
The program is also one of the government’s initiatives to address the rising coliform levels in the city’s bodies of water.
Under the Septage Management Program, the DCWD will be providing septic dislodging and collection services in residential areas. The collected waste will then be treated in a facility before being released back to open waters.
DCWD Spokesperson Jovana Cresta Duhaylungsod, during the At Your Service Program aired over the Davao City Disaster Radio on Friday, said the program will not only help residents in managing their septic waste water, but will also ensure a much safer means of disposing them.
“Kadtong dislodging lang sa siya, and then ibutang og planta and then from the plant, i-treat ang kadtong waste water before siya ibalik sa water bodies para masiguro nato nga whatever it is na atong ma-dispose na waste water, dili siya maka-damage sa environment (This refers to the dislodging and the delivery to the plant and then in the plant, the waste water is treated before being returned to bodies of water to ensure that whatever is disposed will not damage the environment),” Duhaylungsod said.
At least five treatment plants will be put up in the city, each with different areas of coverage, Duhaylungsod said. The plants will be strategically located in the city’s key areas so the dislodging trucks carrying waste water will not have to travel across great distances.
In May 2021, DCWD acquired a 3,300-square meter patch of land at Malagamot Road, Indangan for Davao City’s first ever Septage Treatment Plant which the DCWD spokesperson said is expected to be operational in 2023.
“The direction right now with the Davao City LGU and DCWD is to operate the plant next year. In fact, ongoing na no ang atoang mga activities para sa pagmugna sa atoang planta (our activities in creating our plant are ongoing),” said Duhaylongsod.
The DCWD intends to disseminate information on collection and dislodging schedule and schematics in 2023. The collection and dislodging services will prioritize DCWD clients, but will also be available upon request to those who are not yet covered under the DCWD’s water services with additional service charges.
“Naa ta’y schedule of collection na per area, and the frequency of dislodging will be every five years; kay mao man oud na atong computation na possible mapuno na ang tanke sa atoang residents. (We have a schedule of collection per area, and the frequency of dislodging will be every five years because this is the estimated time our resident’s tanks will be full),” Duhaylungsod said.
She added that the DCWD will be running the operations and maintenance of the plants, while the local government of Davao will have the crucial role in enforcing the rules and regulations of the septage management ordinance. CIO
