SOON-TO-RISE SEPTAGE TREATMENT PLANT IN SAN JUAN TO FOSTER SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT, HEALTHY KAPROBINSIAAN
By: Diana E. Jutba, GPC-ENRO | Photos By: PIO | Date: May 25, 2023
With the commitment for a sustainable environment and a healthy community, Gov. Raphaelle Veronica "Rafy" Ortega-David led the groundbreaking ceremony of a Septage Treatment Plant on May 25, 2023 at Brgy. Sinapangan, San Juan, La Union together with the Local Government Unit (LGU) San Juan headed by Mayor Arturo Valdriz.
Also present as steadfast partners were Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Assistant Regional Director Felix Taguba; DENR- Environmental Management Bureau Regional Director Maria Dorica Naz-Hipe; and DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Director Socrates Gaerlan; DENR- Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office representative Engr. William Cabanban; Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Environment Chairperson representative Ms. Celean Ortega; Sangguniang Bayan Members of San Juan; Department Heads of LGU San Juan; Barangay Officials; Provincial Government - Environment and Natural Resources Office Annalyn Rosario-Valdez and Provincial Engineering Office representatives.
The project generally aims to establish an LGU-owned and managed septage treatment facility to address groundwater and coastal water pollution caused by illegal discharges of untreated wastewater following the directives set by national laws and policies.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government issued Memorandum Circular No. 2019-62 or the “Policy and Guidelines on Sewage Treatment and Sewage Management System” on April 22, 2019 that directs and advises all LGUs to establish a sewerage and septage management system. This also directs the Provincial Government to provide basic services and infrastructure facilities intended to service the needs of the residence of the province. Furthermore, the National Sewerage and Septage Management Program of the Department of Public Works and Highways states that all LGUs should have developed septage management systems.
Through the #KalikasanNaman campaign of the Provincial Government of La Union, this partnership project with LGU-San Juan has been one of the environmental priorities of the Provincial Government towards protecting and preserving environmental integrity especially in the surfing beaches of San Juan, which has been a tourism hub of the province, popularly known as the Surfing Capital of the North ensuring a clean, safe, and reliable water supply for the townspeople and tourists.
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