THE Commission on Audit has commended the Balanga Water District for its contribution to the proper disposal of wastewater and decontamination and rehabilitation of the country’s water bodies, particularly the Manila Bay.
In a 2022 audit released last February 23, state auditors reported that the agency had already developed and implemented a Septage Management Program (SMP).
This was a turnaround from 2020 when the COA issued a warning to Balanga water district officials that they could face possible criminal charges for failing to comply with the 2008 mandamus of the Supreme Court and RA 9275 or the Clean Water Act of 2004 requiring it to put up a wastewater treatment system to prevent dumping of raw sewage into rivers and Manila Bay.
This was bolstered by Balanga City Ordinance No. 13 and Bataan Provincial Ordinance No. 1 requiring water utilities and related government agencies to establish a proper septage management system.
The Balanga WD entered into a memorandum of agreement with EnviroKonsult Equipment and Services Inc., an independent service provider, to provide desludging services to concessionaires and to assist it in implementing the SMP.
Balanga WD management also asked the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) to review and evaluate its proposed tariff rates for septage fees to be charged from concessionaires.
“The creation and implementation of the District’s SMP contributed to the prevention of wastewater being discharged by the different households and commercial establishments near the coastal waters to leak and flow to our river systems,” the COA said.
