DENR fines water firms for lack of wastewater treatment facilities

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has slapped a P29.4 million fine on state-run water service firm Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and its concessionaires Manila Water Co. Inc. (MWCI) and Maynilad Water Services Inc. (MWSI) for failing to establish wastewater treatment facilities (WTFs) five years after the Clean Water Act of 2004 took effect.

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said section 8 of the law, which took effect on May 6, 2004, mandates the MWSS and its concessionaries in Metro Manila and highly urbanized cities to establish WTFs.

The fine covers the period May 7, 2009 to Sept. 30, 2009.  The Pollution Adjucation Board (PAB), chaired by Atienza, heard the issue in June and August.

Atienza said a fine of P200,000 per day will be imposed, “jointly and solidarily” on the water firms until they “fully comply” with the law.

“The failure of the three water firms to put up the WTFs resulted in the degradation of the water bodies like Laguna Lake, Pasig River, Meycauayan River, Marilao River, Obando River, and Manila Bay,” Atienza added.

DENR Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) assistant director Jonas Leones said the water firms received the DENR resolution informing them of the fine but they have not yet communicated with the department nor paid the fine.

Leones said the PAB is meeting on Nov. 6 to deliberate whether to re-issue a writ of execution, cite the water firms in contempt, or file administrative and/or criminal charges against MWSS, MWCI, and MWSI before the appropriate court.