Clark Freeport—The Wastewater Treatment Plant Efficiency Improvement Project was rolled out on March 25 in this Freeport as an initial step for Clark Water Corporation’s compliance with the government’s regulation on water treatment.
With the support and directive of Clark Development Corporation, the CWC carried out its preliminary steps to adhere to the requirements stipulated in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Administrative Order 2016-08 and for the renewal of its discharge permit.
The preliminary move for the desludging of the Anaerobic and Facultative Ponds is also a response to the demands of DENR-Environmental Management Bureau Region 3 to renew the discharge permit of CWC.
In a recent meeting with CDC Chairman Edgardo Pamintuan and CDC President and CEO Manuel R. Gaerlan, EMB Region 3 Director William Trajeco said their office wished to see inceptive ground works to mobilize CWC’s compliance. However, RD Trajeco was a no-show during the event.
Gaerlan underscored the importance of the event as this signals a significant action on the part of CWC and the state-owned firm to meet all the instructions of the EMB R3.
The desludging activity was also initiated due to the ultimatum given by EMB R3 insinuating that a cease-and-desist order will be issued by their office if CWC does not start with the initial steps.
To continuously support and to help facilitate the timely compliance of CWC to the requirements of DENR-EMB, the CDC has also recently presented a cost effective technology to address the standards set in DAO 2016-08.
This technology is a hybrid wastewater treatment system that incorporates microbe (bio) remediation and reed bed technology. The system is designed to be environmentally friendly, takes low maintenance cost and is certified by the Department of Science and Technology as a green technology.
It would not require major construction works and is estimated to only take a 4-month project timeline for full adoption. The modular and portable design of the microbe remediation proposed by CDC is also patented in various countries such as the US, China, Indonesia, Europe, Japan, Australia, Canada, and Korea.
Earlier, a virtual town hall meeting was organized by CDC to present feasible and cost-effective methods that are modern, compliant, and inexpensive that make the business climate for Clark locators and investors more sustainable.
The town hall meeting was attended by officers and members of the Clark Investors and Locators Association and CWC. This also aims to provide updates and developments with regard to the various steps taken by the state-owned firm in guiding CWC for its compliance with the AO issued by the DENR.