Landbank: Improving water quality in Metro Manila river systems

The Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) has been at the forefront of protecting the river systems in Metro Manila, Philippines and financed the “Talayan Sewage Treatment Plant” (STP), a sewage treatment facility that showcases an innovative use of advanced wastewater treatment technology by processing 15,600 cubic meters (or almost 16 million liters) of waste water per day within the 1,840 square meter plant site.

The STP, which collects and treats wastewater from more than 21,000 households covering fifteen (15) barangays (villages) in Quezon City, Metro Manila, helps revive fresh water quality at the San Juan Basin – a major tributary that leads to the Pasig River before its ultimate discharge at the Manila Bay.

By convention, approximately 80 per cent of consumed water turns into wastewater which flows straight into Manila Bay river systems if left untreated.  Through funds from the World Bank, Landbank took a bold move by embracing an advocacy supportive of accelerating wastewater investments in order to help safeguard the health and safety of communities and the environment. The STP investment is crucial in restoring Manila Bay’s recreational water quality standards by bringing down the biochemical oxygen demand yearly pollution level, increasing dissolve oxygen to at least 2.0 mg/li in support of aquatic life forms and in helping control the indiscriminate disposal of septage in vacant lots or municipal drainage lines.

Through the STP project, 15 barangays of Quezon City and its surrounding communities have greatly benefited in terms of improved water salinity and prevention of further degradation of water quality especially in the rivers and tributaries of Pasig River and Manila Bay which would translate to better health and sanitation of the residents.  With the implementation  of this innovative project, the Philippines is making a concrete step in promoting the country’s goal towards a progressive, healthy and environmentally-sound Philippines.

The STP project of Landbank was winner of the 2016 ADFIAP Outstanding Development Project Awards under the Environmental Category.