Laguna Lake (or, Laguna de Bay) is the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines and the third largest in Southeast Asia. As the region has developed, the lake has suffered increasing levels of agricultural, industrial and domestic wastewater pollution. According to the Laguna Lake Development Authority, 70% of biochemical oxygen demand comes from households, 19% from industries and 11% from runoff. Today, most industries and local government units (LGUs) in the region still lack basic wastewater treatment infrastructure.
For many of these dischargers, natural systems, such as constructed wetlands, presents an appropriate and sustainable form of wastewater treatment given the region’s proximity to Laguna Lake, availability of land and relative inexperience with operating sophisticated treatment facilities. Natural treatment systems’ flexibility, low maintenance demands, recreational benefits and ability to provide inexpensive treatment up to tertiary levels make them a practical tool in wastewater mitigation.
To introduce the concept of natural wastewater treatment systems to the Laguna Lake region, a partnership would be facilitated between the Chia Nan University (CNU) in Taiwan with local partners around Laguna Lake including the Calamba Water District (CWD), the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), LGUs of Lucban and Angono, and BNS-BORDA. The primary objective of the partnership is to improve access to sanitation services for communities through the design and construction of septage treatment facilities using natural systems. An expert in natural wastewater treatment systems and capacity building, CNU has helped many cities design and implement septage and wetland systems for domestic, industrial and academic applications. In the partnership, CNU will provide technical assistance to CWD as its main partner and also cooperate with LLDA and two LGUs of Lucban and Angono to support replication of innovations in developing natural wastewater treatment facilities in the Philippines especially around the Laguna Lake area in coordination with BNS-BORDA.
Basic Needs Services-BORDA is a non-government organization focusing on water and sanitation issues in partnership with the Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association (BORDA), a German-founded not-for-profit organization which focuses on the development and dissemination of environmentally friendly and appropriate technologies that enhance the communities’ self-help potential, strengthen women participation and protect natural resources.
