The city government needs a well-planned sewerage system to be able to curb pollution that has devastated its seas.
Engr. Jose Froilan T. Rigor of the City Planning and Development Office said during the Wednesdays @ Habi at Kape – Abreeza that the city government has started conceptualizing the program as it is part of the list it has submitted to the Japanese International Cooperation Agency under the Infrastructure Modernization for Davao (IM4-Davao).
“(The reason why informal settlers) keep throwing trash at the sea is because there is no collection from CENRO,” said Rigor, pointing out that the city government has yet to embark on a feasibility of the program which is expected to be undertaken in 2020.
The plan is to set up the project by 2025, he added.
Rigor said the lack of sewerage system has caused the high pollution in the waters of the city as residents have been throwing garbage indiscriminately.
The high pollution is evidenced by the high coliform content of the seas that based on the latest monitoring report.
The report in October last year was at the average of about 13,000 most probable number (mpn) per 100 milliliters (ml), or 13 times the standard.
He said to make the sewerage system more systematic is to collect the wastes in cluster and set up the treatment plant at the Sta. Ana Wharf because this is the lowest area of the city.
Another innovation that can be adopted which is being done in other countries, he added, is to allow the Davao City Water District to also operate the system.
This is because whatever water that is being used, except the one for drinking, will flow to the treatment plant, he added.
However, Rigor said no company has presented an unsolicited proposal for the setting up of the project.
By John Flor/JMC Intern
