Presentation to Environment Committee, SP Lipa City

Ipat G. Luna Save Lipa City Rivers

April 27, 2015

Freshwater Resources l Habitat of 8400 known

species of fish, (40%) are in freshwater ecosystems (nearly 20% of all vertebrates)

l Drinking water for over 6 billion people

l In less than .01% of the planets water

One gram of human feces can contain

10,000,000 viruses 1,000,000 bacteria 1,000 parasite cysts 100 parasite eggs

58% of ground water are

contaminated with coliform

3 out 10 of illnesses are caused by water contamination like

cholera, SARS, Typhoid fever, etc

Water Table

Present Practice 1

Leachate

Comfort Room

2-Chambered Septic Tank

Deep well

Digestive Chamber

Leachate Chamber

Contaminated Water

Malarayat and you Over 70% of our

bodies are made up of water

Having grown up in Lipa and drinking its water, you may be able to trace over half you bodily constitution to Mt. Malarayat and Lipas riverbanks

Policy Background Constitution Art 12 Sec. 4

provides for three types of use

Direct exploitation by the State Through joint, venture,

production sharing and co-production with the State; and

Directly by small scale users.

This means the State has to have a volumetric return on the resources it owns that are taken commercially.

Findings from Water Fora Lipas sources of groundwater include Mt.

Malarayat and the recharge areas in the riverbanks of 4 major rivers

These drain into 4 water bodies: Taal and Laguna lakes, Batangas Bay and Tayabas Bay.

It was predicted in 2000 that if nothing is done, there will not be enough water for everyone in Lipa by 2020. Globally, the prediction is 2025.

Watershed boundaries draw on satellite map

View Looking North

Superimposed on satellite image

Macolod

Banahaw

Malepunyo

Dalaga

Watershed Boundaries and Mountain Features

There is enough water for everyone. The problem we face today is largely one of governance: equitably sharing this water while ensuring the sustainability of natural ecosystems. At this point in time, we have not yet achieved this balance. "

The Water Code

All water users require a water right except for igib

NWRB issues these water rights but only has over a hundred people for the entire country

Heirarchy of uses (domestic use primary) applied in instances of conflict

Philippines Strategy for Improved Watershed Resources

Management (PSIWRM) There should be a demand-driven and community-based approach involving two

parallel components: l Firstly, one where the demand is determined by

national priorities and concerns. l Secondly, one in which the direct stakeholders can

articulate their needs and actively participate in the conservation, planning, management and sustainable utilization (for multiple purposes) of their local watershed resources.

Policies on Land Ownership and Access

Classification of PUBLIC lands into 4: forest, mineral, national park and agricultural or A&D

Agricultural/A&D may be subject to private ownership

If fraudulently titled (after est. of reserve or with falsified documents), OSG files case for cancellation proceedings

Policies on Land Ownership and Access

If tax declaration only, payments are not for the land but for improvements only, not proof of ownership

Claimants may still use the land through CBFM and other tenure instruments over forest

Tax Declaration for the land MAY be used as evidence of Open, Continuous, Exclusive and Notorious occupation for 30 years PRIOR to establishment of reserve and NAPOCOR Jurisdiction but title has to be perfected in court

Policies on Land Ownership and Access

Once titled, still subject to zoning regulations in local zoning ordinance

If zoning restriction constitutes a taking for public use, expropriation proceedings possible

Other options for ensuring forest cover: l Enforcement of easements (3 m. in urban, 20 m in

agricultural areas and 40 m in forest) l Purchasing development rights for annotation in

title l Environmental Impact Assessment system restrictions l Programs (adopt a mountain, barangay patrols, etc)

Clean Water Act promotion of the use of

appropriate economic instruments and control mechanisms for the protection of water resources

Water quality management areas

a comprehensive management program for water pollution focusing on pollution prevention.

Top five issues to discuss General implementation strategy WQMA, general institutional arrangements Sewerage and septage management Discharge permit and wastewater charge

system Accountability of agencies and penalties

for violators

General implementation strategy

Implementation (Rule 19) National water quality status report Integrated water quality management

framework 10-year water quality management area

action plan Tools: standards and guidelines,

classification of water bodies, groundwater vulnerability map, etc.

WQMA and institutional arrangements

WQMA (Rule 5)

Criteria for establishment Procedure for establishment, interim

WQMAs Governing Board and Secretariat Powers and functions

l Implementing the action plan by LGUs l Management of the Area Fund

Role of government agencies

DENR as overall lead agency (S19) DPWH leads sewerage and septage

management program (Rule 7) DOH on sewage; DA on agricultural use of

wastewater LWUA and water districts (Rule 7, 8) Local governments

Sewerage & septage management

Sewerage system (Rule 7,8)

Identifying priorities Covering infrastructure costs Promoting inexpensive alternatives Complementary activities [sanitation,

septage management]

Discharge permit and wastewater charge

Discharge permit (Rule 14)

Specifies quantity and quality of effluent Basis for computation of the wastewater

fee

Wastewater charge system (Rule 13)

Wastewater fee = fixed fee + load based fee Standard fixed fee for all (P8,000 for 3 years) Discharge fee variable based on net waste load (for now, only TSS

and BOD); paid annually in advance Computation of net waste load based on the projected load

specified in the permit Actual pollution load may vary (based on SMR); if proved, may

serve as basis for adjustment of fee for the following year.

Non-attainment areas (Sec. 6) Designation- scope plus pollutant(s)

l Not necessariily corresponding to WQMA Upgrading Water Quality LGUs contingency planning No new sources for pollutant unless

l Existing source discharges reduced l Total pollution load meets targets l If so, LAER for new sources

Surcharges

Accountability and penalties

Accountability of agencies

Actions l Citizen suits to compel agency action?

Penalties for violations by LGUs l Sec. 29 sanctions for non-compliance with action plan l Sec. 27 (j) criminal liability

Accountability for non-point sources

WQMA GB function - measures Categorization of non-point sources (19.9)

l Guidelines for agri and aquaculture by DENR, DA, etc - no deadline

l LGU ordinances to regulate sale and disposal, erosion control

Penalties for violations (Rule 28)

PAB jurisdiction; administrative fines Criminal liability: imprisonment and fines

l Elements of the crimes (Rule 27) Clean up (Sec. 15, 16)

Civil Code on damages

Problems that CWA can address

Future liability due to poisoning Costs for clean up of water source Health problems Waste water, domestic toxics Finding who is responsible for what Funding conservation and watershed

protection mechanisms, e.g. WQMA Governing Board

Citizen monitoring

Why? Motivating sectors

to act require relevant and current information provided to them about matters that affect what they eat and drink

Industry shifts - organic piggeries:

Less pollution/odor, premium price

Incentives for ECOSAN - low cost, small scale and biological clean water systems

Wastewater system in Bayawan City serving 700 households

BADC Narra

Dry Toilet Systems

The Dumaguete Model

WWTP 3.7M cost of construction Converts 400-800 mg/l

BOD to 10-40 mg/l BOD 600 sq m land

Septage TP Cost Recovery by

partnership : WD collects, City treats sludge

2 hectares 6 deslludging trucks for

116,000 residents

WWTP

STP

Why wait? Scarcity breeds conflict Regulation can prevent

scarcity or contamination Just because we have not

had an incident does not mean we wont have one

When the incident is felt, it would already be too late

The real disaster is contamination, once that happens clean up will cost hundreds of times more

Underground pipes that would collect

outflow from different sources

(e.g. floodwater, domestic, industrial)

Outflow would go through sequence

batch reactors on the banks before

discharge to the river

Balintawak River as Ecopark, batch

reactors under a bike path or bridges

Balintawak River as Ecopark with much of the sides kept natural

Balintawak River as Ecopark with aerators

in the river itself

In some river sectors, gardens like this

maintained by the community for food

Grow healthy food

Leafy vegetables

Grains

Fruits

Vines

Roots

Legumes

flowers

That would attract birds and pollinators

Recommended contents of Sewage and septage ordinance

Septic tank inspections and regular desludging ordinance (required by district, service will be WD supplied)

Closure of all septic tanks that reach water table. Incentives for ECOSAN - low cost, mini- and biological

clean water systems City verification process for Sewage TP of new

establishments Specific provisions on LGU role in Enforcement of the

sanitation code Legislate Industry shifts, e.g. piggeries, building by

rivers, etc Penalties for executive inaction

Requirements for Budget Process for Tasks for

the Executive Funds for delimiting and marking ground

boundaries for aquifer recharge areas including river banks and Mt. Malarayat Forest Reserve

WQMA and securing all documents from DENR for PAB cases, EIA requirements

Implementation of ESWM RA 9003 beginning with urgent segragated collection of compostable and residual waste as well as hazardous wastes

Oversight procedures

We cannot leave our rivers to chance. We have to revive them

We see our dead rivers as opportunities

Population and housing reform has a huge impact on access to water resources

When we decide to add trees, they can only give new water after 10 to 30 years