Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 2100

Introduced by HON. LINABELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA.
4TH DISTRICT, BULACAN

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The establishment of a septage treatment facility as well as a framework for wastewater
conservation and management should generally minimize if not eliminate pollution of the environment
A river system such as the Meycauayan, Marilao and Obando River System (MMORS), which is part
of a larger system ~ a watershed, or the land drained by a river and its tributaries, should effectively
benefit from this initiative. The preservation of its natural geophysical features will be advantageous /o
its residents and complement the ecosystem in its entirety.

Presently, however, none of these objectives are attainable. Meycauayan City and the
Municipality of Marilao are host to gold refining, lead smelters, jewelry making, tanneries, open
dumpsites, piggeries, textile industries, aluminum manufacturing, and many other industries. ‘These
industries generally do not have waste treatment facilities, The effluents find their way to the air and
surface water system. In addition, effluents from households and piggeries flow into the river system.
The water from these river systems feeds into thousands of hectares of active fishponds where the
produce are consumed by the local residents, shipped to adjoining areas, particularly Metro Manila and
are even exported. The final recipient of the contaminated water is Manila Bay, which is already
heavily contaminated and established as posing a serious environmental problem. The Municipality of
Obando, a low-lying area where 85% of the area is devoted to aquaculture is the most affected by the
pollution, It lies downstream of the two pollution-generating Meycauayan City and the Municipality of
Marilao, Bulacan and the Manila Bay.

In 2007, the Blacksmith Institute, a New York based environmental group, included the
MMORS in its “Dirty 30” list of the world's polluted places. Reports from the Environmental
Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR)
indicated that the tannery and jewelry making business in Meycauayan City and industries in nearby
Bulacan towns and Valenzuela City in Metro Manila largely contributed to the deterioration of the
river's water quality and domestic wastes have aggravated the problem.

This proposed bill seeks to effectively address and substantially eliminate pollution of the
environment,

‘This bill was filed during the 15" Congress and was referred to the House Committee on Public
Works and Highways. No further legislative action was taken on the bill due to time constraints. This
bill is filed for the consideration of the 16" Congress.
Support for the enactment of this measure is earnestly requested.
SRI Maree

REP. LINABELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS,
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 2100

RUTH R. VILLARICA
[, BULACAN

Introduced by HON. LINABI
4TH DISTRIC

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWERAGE SYS
WATERWASTE AND SEPTAGE TREATMENT FACILITIES IN THE 4TH CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT OF BULACAN, NAMELY: CITY OF MEYCAUAYAN AND THE MUNICIPALITIES OF
MARILAO, STA, MARIA AND OBANDO, PROVINCE OF BULACAN AND DEFINING THE
ROLE OF LOCAL WATER DISTRICTS AND PRIVATE WATERWORKS UTILITIES IN WATER
CONSERVATION AND WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled.

SECTION 1. ‘tle. - This Act shall be known as the “Bulacan Sewerage Systems and
Wastewater and Septage Treatment Facility Act of 2013”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Principles and State Policies. - It shall be the policy of the State to
safeguard public health and to promote the protection of the environment of the 4" Congressional
District of Bulacan, through sustainable utilization of natural resources such as, but not limited to,
water resource in such manner that the protection of public health and of the environment will further
hasten the economic development of these areas

Accordingly, the State shall

(a) Promote efficient and earth-friendly practices and technologies in the utilization of water
resources;

(b) Encourage all residents to minimize wastewater generation and to adopt various measures on
how to control and abate water pollution;

(c) Educate and promote the concept of shared responsibility among the residents in the
implementation of programs, projects and activities on water quality management and on
controlling water pollution;

(d) Foster and build public-private linkages and partnerships in promoting and sustaining,
water conservation and wastewater management program, projects and activities,
pursuant to Section 20, Article II of the Constitution; and


(e) Mobilize various government, quasi-government and private institutions to pool resources
to establish water quality management programs and efficient sewerage systems and
wastewater and septage treatment facilities.

SEC. 3, Objective, - The primary purpose of this Act is to establish a water conservation
program as well as a wastewater management system by establishing a centralized sewerage system
and a wasewater and septage treatment facility within the different areas of the 4° Congressional
District of Bulacan

SEC. 4, Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms are herein below defined:

(a) Cleaner production ~ the application of an integrated, preventive environmental strategy to
process, products, services to increase efficiency and reduce risk to humans and the
environment;

(b) Facility ~refers to the sewerage and wastewater treatment facility;

(©) City or Municipal Water Office ~ a city or municipal water office, investor-owned public
utility or cooperative corporation which owns or operates a water system, except that it
shall not include the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) or its
concessionaires;

(d) Local waterworks utility ~ any private corporation supplying water to the city or
municipalities other than the local water district;

(e) Septage ~ the sludge produced on indi
principally septic tanks and cesspools;

idual on-site wastewater disposal system,

(f) Sewerage system — pipe lines to conduits, pumping stations, force mains, constructed
drainage ditches, and all other constructions, devices, appurtenance used for collecting or
conducting sewage, and industrial wastes or other wastes to a point of treatment, discharge
or ultimate disposal;

(g) Water conservation ~ the protection, development, and efficient management of
water resources for beneficial purposes;

(h) Water pollution ~ alteration of the physical, chemical, biological, or radiological
properties of a water body resulting in the impairment of its purity or quality;

(@ Water quality — the characteristics of water, which define its use in characteristic by terms
of physical, chemical, biological, bacteriological or radiological characteristics by which
the acceptability of water is evaluated;

(j) Wastewater — waste in liquid state containing pollutants;

(k) Wastewater and septage treatment facility — a facility installed for the purpose of treating,
neutralizing, stabilizing, disinfecting, or disposing of sewage, industrial waste or other

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wastes, or for the recovery of by-product from such sewage, industrial waste or other
wastes;

SEC. 5. Role of Local Water District Office. - It shall be the responsibility of the local water
districts, within its jurisdiction, to commence the construction of an effective sewerage system and
wastewater and septage treatment facility within twelve (12) months after the effectivity of this Act and
such system and facility should be operational within four (4) years after the start of construction

The three LGUs in the 4% District and the local water districts may cluster themselves, for
financial considerations, and enter into an agreement to have one common wastewater and septage
treatment facility. Provided, that cooperating LGUs and water districts shall bear equally the cost of
constructing and maintaining the facility and the LGU hosting the facility shall receive an incentive, in
any form or kind, as agreed upon by the cluster

The said incentive of the host LGU shall be used for the economic livelihood, beautification
and/or infrastructure projects of those communities near the facility

In the event where an adverse impact occurred in the construction or the maintenance of the
facility, all member water districts in the cluster shall bear equally he cost of such impact

Where there are other waterworks utilities supplying water other than the local water district,
the said waterworks utilities and water district are required to reach an accord of cooperation leading to
a shared program with regard to the connection of sewerage lines and to the construction and
‘maintenance of sewerage system, and the wastewater and septage treatment facility.

Where there is no local water district, the LGU or if there is a private waterworks utility
supplying water in that area may assume the responsibilities tasked by this Act to the local water
district offices.

SEC. 6. Role of the Province of Bulacan, Meycauayan City, the Municipalities of Marilao, Sta.
Maria and Obando, - The Province of Bulacan shall assist Meycuayan City, the Municipalities of
Marilao, Sta. Maria and Obando in the formulation and development of their respective water
conservation and wastewater management program. It shall extend technical and material support to
these areas in connecting their existing sewerage lines as well as the construction of new ones

‘The Municipalites of Marilao, Sta. Maria and Obando shall formulate a water conservation and
wastewater management program in coordination with the local water district; assist and provide for
manpower, logistical and technical support to the local water district office in the construction of the
local wide sewerage system and wastewater septage treatment facility, appropriate the necessary land
and the right-of-way (ROW) access to the land for the construction of this project; and enact
ordinances pertinent to the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 7. Role of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); and the Department of Science and Technology (OST)

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- The DPWH shall assist the LGUs and the local water district offices in planning for the construction
ofa centralized sewerage system in their respective localities.

‘The DENR shall provide technical assistance to the LGUs and local water district offices in
evaluating the appropriateness of a local or foreign wastewater and septage treatment technology; it
shall provide adequate information materials, technical and other support services to local water
districts regarding the preparation and development of feasibility studies, issuance of the
Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and other required studies prior to the actual construction
of the project. Provided, that the program implementer notifies the department of their request for such
technical assistance

The DOST, in coordination with the concerned LGUs and the local water district office, shall
prepare a program for the evaluation, verification, development and public dissemination of water
pollution prevention and cleaner production technologies

SEC. 8, Connection of Sewerage Lines. - All existing sewerage lines found in subdivisions,
condominiums, commercial centers, hotels, sports and recreational facilities, hospitals, market places,
public buildings, industrial complex and other similar establishments including households should be
connected to available sewerage system upon the effectivity of this Act

Local water district offices and/or private waterworks utilities in coordination with the local
government units are tasked to perform such reconnections

SEC. 9. Centralized Wastewater and Septage Treatment Facility. - All existing sewerage
systems and those to be constructed in the future shall be connected to a centralized wastewater and
septage treatment facility, one (1) year after the effectivity of this Act. Provided, that, the facility shall
be constructed with the necessary permit, such as but not limited to the Environmental Compliance
Certificate (ECC), as provided for under PD. No. 1586

SEC. 10. Transpareney in Wastewater and Septage Treatment Facility. - Apart from the task of
maintenance of wastewater facility as emphasizied under Section 5, the local water district office shall
also practice transparency by opening the facility to the public for visitation.

SEC. 11. Sewerage Service Fee. - The local water district and/or the private waterworks utilities
may charge a sewer service fee, in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations, to recover the
cost of connecting the sewerage lines and for the construction and maintenance of the centralized
wastewater and septage treatnment facility.

SEC. 12, Suppletory Provisions.- The provisions of R.A. No. 9275, otherwise known as the
“Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004” and PD. No. 198, otherwise known as the “Provincial Water
Utilities Act of 1973” (As amended by P.D. No. 768 and R.A. No. 9286) shall as far as practicable be
suppletory to this Act

SEC. 13. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this act shall be held unconstitutional or
invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders or issuances, or any parts thereof,

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inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SEC. 15. Hffectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect upon its publication in at least two (2)
newspapers of general circulation,

Approved,