The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) lauded the completion of the wastewater treatment facility of the Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (MWSI) in Parañaque City, saying it will help address water pollution in Manila Bay’s tributaries, and help improve Metro Manila’s sewage system.
The newly inaugurated Parañaque water reclamation facility.
The Parañaque Water Reclamation Facility, built via JICA’s Environmental Development Project (EDP) with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) amounting to P1.7 billion, aims to address impact of wastewater treatment to public health, water resources, and tourism.
“The project can be viewed as a model of public-private partnership (PPP) where public institutions like the DBP and the LGU and a private company like Maynilad work together to finance and implement a project with long-term impact to sustainable economic development,” said JICA Chief Representative Yoshio Wada.
The facility can treat an average of 76 million liters of wastewater daily. It is also the first large-scale Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR)-compliant wastewater treatment facility in thecountry — a standard mandated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)’s Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standards.
JICA’s EDP scheme extends financial assistance to public and private sectors for projects that contribute to improving and preserving the environment. In the Philippines, JICA has implemented 73 EDP initiatives nationwide on water supply, sanitation, solid and hazardous waste management, industrial pollution control, and new and renewable energy.
The completion of the project also came in time with the Philippine government’s ongoing efforts to rehabilitate the Manila Bay and address the wastewater treatment challenges in Metro Manila brought about by denser population and rapid industrialization.