MKWD PARTICIPATES IN NSSMP CONSULTATION WORKSHOP

By: Sandy Alqueza

Last January 17, 2013, BOD Theresa Eduave, GM Stella M. Gonzales, AGM for Operations Engr. Wilesper Lisandro M. Alqueza and Engr. Ramil A. Condez attended the Regional Consultation Workshop of National Sewerage and Septage Management Program (NSSWP) hosted by Philippine Water Works Association.

NSSMP is mandatory by virtue of Clean Water Act 0f 2004, wherein aside from Water Districts, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Local Government Units (LGU), Department of Health (DOH) and other national agencies have specific roles on planning and implementation of program.

            The ultimate goal of NSSMP is to provide sewerage and septage system within urban areas in order to minimize adverse impacts of domestic waste water discharges. This is to ensure that maintenance of water quality on water bodies will be applied from sources to its endpoints.

            As early as 1970s, Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) was already been formulated to support every households in obtaining affordable, safe and sustainable access to water and sanitation services. Nevertheless, constraints such as interest and prioritization on the part of concern agencies, national funding and public participation resulted into poor output of the program.

            With NSSMP, target year for its full implementation will be on 2020. Strategies identified were facilitating a bottom-up, demand-driven project development processes and providing national government support and incentives.

            With the above approaches, by 2020, all LGUs are expected to develop septage management system. Likewise, about 43.60 Million Filipinos will have access to septage treatment facilities completing sanitation projects amounting to P 26.30 Billion.