OWD to build P60-M Orani septage treatment plant

ORANI, Bataan – The Orani Water District (OWD) is set to build a 60 million-peso septage treatment plant in a 2-hectare land area in Barangay Pagasa of this first-class town.

This was revealed yesterday in an interview with OWD general manager Benigno “Benny” Andres saying this is in connection with a Supreme Court mandamus to clean Manila Bay. “Marami sa atin ang hindi alam kung saan napupunta ang mga dumi natin sa katawan matapos nating manggaling sa palikuran. This project is one of the answers or solutions sa ipinag uutos ng SC na linisin ang Manila Bay,” Andres told 1Bataan.com.

Last December 18, 2008, the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision directing 13 government agencies “to clean up, rehabilitate, and preserve Manila Bay… restore and maintain its waters to make them fit for swimming, skin diving, and other forms of contact recreation.”

These agencies are the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Budget and Management, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police Maritime Group, Department of Interior and Local Government, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, Local Water Utilities Administration, and the Philippine Ports Authority.

Bataan is one of several provinces in Region 3 and Region 4 with its coastal towns along Manila Bay area.

Today at 2p.m. the local government unit of Orani led by Mayor Efren Pascual Jr. and the municipal board led by Vice mayor Bong Galicia are set to have a dialogue with the OWD management under GM Benny Andres and its board of directors chaired by Dr. Boyet Castaneda about the project.

Under the said project the LGU-Orani will provide the land area for the project and the OWD will construct and operate the plant. With minimal or affordable fees, the septic tanks of all the town’s households especially the customers of OWD will allow them to clean their septic tanks. The waste gathered will be treated at their treatment plant in the said barangay. The construction of the project is set to start on 2017.

The project will be the second in Bataan. The first septage treatment plant was first built inside the Bataan Export Processing Zone now the Freeport Area of Bataan.