The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) recently inaugurated a “plant-based water” treatment facility in Subic  that can further help improve the water quality in the area. In a statement, the DOST said the project is located at the CUBI Sewage Treatment Plant in Subic Freeport Zone, Zambales.  This project will be using a “phytoremediation technology” that was “developed using a plant-based approach that removes traces of fat, oil, and grease (FOG) from water sources.” This project “arose from the need of Subic Water to adhere to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standards of 2016.  The challenge for Subic Water is to reduce pollutants like heavy metals, ammonia, nitrates, and phosphates,” the DOST said. It seeks “to reduce to concentration of pollutants from effluents by an integrated constructed wetland or reedbed system.  The system uses plants to absorb, uptake and convert pollutants into a harmless form,” the agency added. This project was created under the DOST Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy or CRADLE Program with collaborative efforts from Technological Institute of the Philippines and water treatment firm Subic Water. “With this game-changing wastewater treatment facility, we anticipate a reduction of operational costs for industries with the use of cost-effective technology for treating wastewater effluents,” said DOST Undersecretary Leah Buendia. “Ultimately, we can look forward to an improvement in water quality and the protection of aquatic ecosystems, especially here in Subic,” she added.