Manila Water to undertake P50-billion project

MANILA, Philippines - Manila Water will be undertaking a P50 billion project called the Three-River System that will clean up the three most polluted rivers in eastern Metro Manila: San Juan, Pasig and Marikina.

First on the list will be the Marikina River system because of the river’s strategic location as the first tributary that feeds the Pasig River before reaching Manila Bay.

The megaproject Three-River Master Plan is a 10-year project that will require at least P50 billion in investments to finance the construction of a comprehensive wastewater collection and treatment systems.

For the Marikina component, Manila Water will adopt the “catchment approach” which will entail the construction of massive interceptor systems that will collect all wastewater discharges along the banks before the hazardous waters reach the waterways.

The interceptors will then channel wastewater to modern wastewater facilities before discarding treated water and fully complying with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) standards for healthy river water.

The Marikina River catchment is significant because it not only covers the city of Marikina but also the municipalities of San Mateo and Rodriguez as well as parts of Quezon City and Antipolo.

Manila Water needs to treat the wastewater generated by the Marikina system because the river converges with the Pasig River and the latter will not improve unless its tributaries are cleaned first.

Targetted for completion first quarter of this year will be a new 10 million liters per day (MLD) sewerage treatment plant (STP) that will start operating in Barangay Industrial Valley in Marikina City.

Two more STPs in Marikina with a combined treatment capacity of 120 MLD will also commence construction this year.

Additional STPs for Rodriguez, San Mateo and Antipolo are likewise programmed to start construction by 2011.

Manila Water will also undertake a $300,000 feasibility study funded by an Asian Development Bank grant to assess the wastewater and sanitation needs of residents on the eastern side of the Pasig River.

The study is crucial and will lead to the second phase Pasig Catchment project covering the construction of more wastewater treatment facilities for portions of Quezon City, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Makati, Taguig and Pateros.    

The Three River System Project is estimated to be completed by 2018 which will ensure 100 percent sewer coverage for the areas influenced by the San Juan, Marikina and Pasig River systems.