Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Boracay gets world-class sewage facility BY GENIVI FACTAO
The sustainability of the ecosystem of the island resort of Boracay, one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, is now assured with the inauguration of the Boracay Island Water Co.’s world-class wastewater treatment facility.

The inauguration was led by Rep. Florencio T. Miraflores of the lone district of Aklan, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority general manager Mark Lapid, Malay Mayor John Yap as well as officials of the Boracay Island Water and Manila Water Company led by Manila Water president and CEO Gerry Ablaza Jr.

Miraflores congratulated and thanked Boracay Island Water for taking the challenge of managing the difficult environment in the island and successfully implementing the P78 million project, commending Manila Water for solving the long-standing water and wastewater problem in Boracay in what he said is another successful public-private sector partnership.

Lapid said the inauguration of the Boracay Island Water STP is a "significant step" in protecting Boracay’s rich environment.


The new facility, he said, validates the important contribution of the private sector in the operation of water and wastewater systems and in ensuring the economic and environmental viability of Boracay in the coming years as a top tourist destination for the country.

Boracay Island Water chief operating officer Melvin John Tan said the newly-refurbished treatment plant ensures a significantly better wastewater effluent quality in the island.

"We have upgraded the treatment capacity of the wastewater facility by 250 percent, raising it from 2.6 million liters per day to 6.5 MLD to maintain the environmental sustainability of the island in anticipation of the growing number of tourists that flock to the island," Tan said.


Last year, Boracay saw an estimated 780,000 tourists and the number is expected to top one million by 2016, according to Tan.

Ablaza stressed that Manila Water and its subsidiary remain committed to fulfilling their mandate in Boracay in providing reliable and quality water and efficient wastewater treatment. He said that the operation of the world-class wastewater treatment facility, which is located in Barangay Balabag is an important milestone in the development plan for the island resort.

On top of its wastewater function, Boracay Island Water is also improving the island’s water supply. After only a year in operation, the company has increased 24-hour water availability from 60 percent to 96 percent of the population and reduced water loss from 40 percent to 29 percent. Water pressure has also increased from an average of 15 pounds per square inch to 30 PSI.

Boracay Island Water was created in 2009 as a joint venture company between Manila Water and the Philippine Tourism Authority, now TIEZA, with the goal of ensuring the implementation of a comprehensive infrastructure program that would provide 100 percent water supply and sewerage coverage to the entire island of Boracay.

2 comments:

  1. what world class?! it could be but is it the latest that use Ozone gas injection instead of harmful chemical treatment?!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bantay Aklan6:54 PM

    Hello! Cot at least they spend something for Boracay it's Sad but it's not enough.

    ReplyDelete