THE Commission on Audit has warned officials of the Plaridel Water District (PlaWD) in Bulacan that they could be hauled to court for failure to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive to provide and install sewerage and sanitation facilities for the safe treatment of wastewater before disposal in waterways.
In a 2022 audit report released last February 13, government auditors highlighted the Plaridel WD’s failure to implement the Septage Treatment Project despite a budget of P97.58 million made available to it in December 2021 through a grant from the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).
By May 23, 2022 the PlaWD had come up with a plan to develop a septage treatment plant with a project cost of P84.97 million.
By September 22, 2022, the PlaWD was supposed to be scouting for a lot where to put up the project.
However, auditors said that as of October 11, 2022, the memorandum of agreement was still not finalized as the water district was still waiting for feedback from the LWUA.
The COA emphasized the urgency of starting the project since unhampered leakage of wastewater discharged by thousands of households and commercial establishments to the river systems could lead to the contamination of groundwater and other drinking water sources.
“Moreover, officials of the different agencies with water management function may be subjected to criminal liability if they fail to comply with the SC mandamus,” the commission warned.
Based on the Clean Water Act of 2004 and the Supreme Court mandamus of 2008, the LWUA and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) were ordered to “provide, install, and maintain sewerage and sanitation facilities and the efficient and safe collection, treatment and disposal of sewerage.”
Covered by the directive were the provinces of Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Bataan.
In 2016, the LWUA had likewise ordered local water districts through Memorandum Circular No. 008-16 to submit a five-year plan (2016 to 2020) to comply with the SC mandamus.
It had required that sanitation programs and facilities be fully operational by December 31, 2020.
The PlaWD agreed to the recommendation of the audit team to press LWUA on the finalization of the MOA regarding the P84.97 million grant for the design and location of the septage treat facility.
