One of the ways in which the Dumaguete City government can protect its underground water is through the construction of collective septic tanks for houses in the city with no toilets, Vice Mayor William Ablong said yesterday.

Ablong said it is important that the source of water must be protected in order to prevent health problems, adding that 100 percent of the water supplied by the Dumaguete City Water District to its clients comes from the underground. Quoting a 2003 report from the World Bank, Ablong said 58 percent of the drinking water supply in the Philippines is contaminated with coliform bacteria, or a bacteria from human wastes, among others.

"We are very concerned about it, specially since the source of the water in the city is underground," he said.

He said the city government is just waiting for the report of the barangay captains, who were tasked last year to conduct an inventory on the number of houses in their barangays with no toilets.

He said the idea is for the houses with no toilets to be clustered by 10 to 20. Then the city will construct septic tanks for them.

The vice mayor said that, along with this plan, is the one to put up the P17 million Dumaguete City Septage Treatment Plant in Barangay Camanjac which he said might be constructed beginning second quarter of this year, after all, there is already funding for it, a loan from the Land Bank.

The moment the facility is operational, he said, dislodging trucks will haul wastes from the septic tanks of all houses and establishments in the city to be treated at treatment plant.

Also beginning this year, Ablong said construction of new residential or commercial buildings will not be allowed, unless, owners comply the required three-chamber septic tank for houses and multi-chamber septic tank for at least a three-storey building.*RA

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