Republie of the Philippines HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Quezon City, Metro Manila SIXTEENTH CONGRESS ECEIVED First Regular Session 31 JUL 2013 \ it, vow niin, 2100 dee Intvoduced by HON. LINA3ELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA 4TH DISTRICT, BULACAN EXPLANATORY NOTE, The establishment of @ seplage treatment facility as well as a framework for wastewater conservation and management should generally minimize if not eliminate pollution of the environment, A tiver system such as the Meycauayan, Marilao and Obando River System (MMORS), which is part of a larger system — a watershed, or the land dreined by a river and its tributaries, should effectively benefit from this initiative. The preservation of its natural geophysical features will be advantageous fo its residents and complement the ecosystem in its entirety Presently, however, none of these objectives are attainable. Meycauayan City end the Municipality of Marilao are host to gold sefinng, lead smeliers, jewelry making, tanneries, open dumpsites, piggerics, 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 hy 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 Meycavayan 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 hill 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 Dill is filed for the consideration of the 16* Congress. Support for the enactment of this measure is eamestly requested ee 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 Introduced by HON LINARELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA 4TH DISTRICT, BULACAN AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWERAGE SYSTEMS AND 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 2RIVATE WATERWORKS UTILITIES IN WATER. CONSERVATION AND WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT Be it enacted hy the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: SECTION 1. Tite. - 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 Siate Policies. - It shall be the policy of the State to safeguard public health and to promote the provection 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 protectior 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; (®) 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; (@) Foster and build public-private linkages and partnerships in promoting and sustaining. water conservation and wastewater management program, projects and activities, pursuant 10 Section 20, Article II of the Constitution; and(€) 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 tho different areas of the 4° Congressional District of Bulacan SE 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 0 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, (@) Local waterworks utility ~ any private corporation supplying water to the city or municipalities other than the local water district; (©) Septage ~ the sludge produced on individusl on-site wastewater disposal system, principally septic tanks and cesspools; (®) 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, develepment, 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, (@) 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 Zzvwastes, or for the recovery of by-product irom such sewage, industrial waste or other wastes, SEC. 5. Role of Local Water Disirict Office. - 1 shell 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 -welve (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 agre2ment 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, ell member water districts in the cluster siall 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 regerd 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 Bulacar shall assist Meycuayan City, the Municipalities of Marilao, Sta. Maria and Obando in the formulation and development of their respective water conscrvation and wastewater management progrem, 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 nd 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 constmiction of this project; and enact ordinances pertinent to the effective implementation of this Act SEC. 7. Role of the Department of Publie Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).~ The DPWH shall assist the LGUs and the local water district offices in planning for the construction of a 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 t0 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 reconneetions. 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 afler the effectivity of this Act. Provided, thet, the facility shall be constructed with the necessary permit, such es but not limited to the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), as provided for under PD. No. 1586. SEC. 10, Transparency 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 P.D. No. 198, otherwise known as the “Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973” (As amended by PD. 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 fall force and effect. SEC. 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders or issuances, or any parts thereof, 4inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or amerded accordingly SEC. 15. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect upon its publication in at Ieest 1wo (2) newspapers of general circulation, Approved,