Information
Home » Energy & Environment » Urban Environmental Mgmt. » Water Quality » PSA
PHILIPPINE SANITATION ALLIANCE (PSA) PROJECT
Domestic and commercial water pollution caused by rapid urbanization pose significant health risks and long-term economic consequences for the Philippines. According to the World Bank, more than 90% of the sewage generated in the Philippines is not treated, resulting in a high incidence of water-borne diseases, an estimated 31 deaths per day and P78 billion in annual economic losses. To address this enormous problem, the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 requires all households and public and commercial establishments to have proper sewage treatment or septage management (desludging septic tanks regularly and treating the waste before disposal).
Recognizing the health and environmental impact of water pollution, the Philippine Sanitation Alliance (PSA) has brought together Philippine local government units (LGUs) and private sector partners to develop affordable solutions. The cities, water districts and private sector partners will build treatment facilities that will use appropriate technology, employ user fees for full cost recovery where applicable, and serve as platforms for sharing innovative solutions throughout the Philippines and the Asian region. Private sector partners include real estate developers, hotels, restaurants, and hospitals.
The PSA assists LGUs in this process through:
- Targeted technical assistance, including project design and packaging support;
- Site visits to other cities to learn about best practices;
- Participatory planning workshops;
- Information and resource materials on technology and financing options;
- Public awareness campaigns to increase willingness to pay user fees; and
- Sharing project results in both local and national conferences.
City pilot projects may include treatment facilities for public markets and slaughterhouses, and city-wide septage management programs in which all the septic tanks are desludged every 3-5 years and the waste properly treated to kill pathogens before disposal.
The PSA is working in partnership with the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) to make information on sanitation and wastewater treatment available to member cities through workshops, training sessions, the LCP website and LCP Environment Unit. It also works with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and civic organizations in the cities and at the national level to increase demand for sanitation services from the public and increase their willingness to pay for these services through user fees.
MORE INFO
Contractor: AECOM International Development
Period Covered: October 2007 to September 2010
Mechanism: AID 492-A-00-07-00023-00
Lisa Kircher Lumbao
Project Manager
Suite 4022, Golden Rock Building
168 Salcedo Street
Legaspi Village, Makati City
Telefax No. (632) 819-0687
E-mail: llumbao@eco-asia.org.ph
top