MCWD lobbies septage treatment plant to Cordova residents

Lasaro “Boboy” Salvacion of MCWD presented the septage management plan to Corodva residents in Barangay San Miguel Sports complex. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) presented its septage management plan for Cordova town during a public hearing before residents Tuesday morning.

Their proposal involves requiring MCWD customers to pay P2.20 per cubic meters of water consumed to be paid for five years while non-MCWD customers will pay P1,131 per cubic meter of sludge taken from their private septic tanks.

Engr. Lasaro Salvacion, MCWD acting asst. general manager for operations, illustrated the urgency of implementing a sewage treatment plan by disclosing three wells in barangay San Miguel that were contaminated by nitrate.

Without proper septic management, Salvacion said septic wastes mixed with ground water, a major source of water to MCWD.

Salvacion said nitrate content in the water may cause diarrhea, cholera, hepatitis, dysentery, blue baby syndrome for infants, diuresis, increased starchy deposits and hemorrhaging of the spleen.

Other health problems may cause miscarriage, high prevalence of cancer of the stomach and esophagus and increased risk of Type II diabetes.

“The septage management program is based on the Clean Water Act 2004. The local government unit (LGU) of Cordova is the model here in Cebu after they enacted the ordinance,” he said.

Envirokonsult Equipment and Services, Inc., the service provider contracted by MCWD to set up the 3,000-square-meter septage treatement facility is expected to operate on September this year.

The treated effluent will be re-used water for gardening, washing vacuum trucks or for discharge to nature.