The City Environment and Parks Management Office will strictly implement a “one-strike-policy” in the issuance of notice of violation (NOV) to residents and establishments illegally discharging excrement and septage into the open environment.
Once an NOV is issued, violators must pay a P5,000 administrative penalty and implement corrective measures within three days in lieu of any legal action to be undertaken by the city government.
Cepmo head Rhenan Diwas said households and establishments illegally discharging wastewater and other discards like grease and used oil into the city’s waterways including those with leaking or overflowing septic tanks violate environmental laws.
Cepmo records show 562 individuals have been issued NOV last year for violating the City Environment Code.
Only 376 paid their penalty and complied with the corrective measures.
Violations vary from discharge of liquid waste from private sewer lines and septic tanks, dumping of solid waste, burning of garbage or solid waste, hog-raising activities, and discharge of animal waste in inland waterways.
Diwas said any illegal discharge of septic tank or leaking septage will be penalized including overflowing pipes.
Even kitchen and bathroom drains should be treated before discharged or septic tanked per the National Building Code, Diwas added.
The presence of grease deposits in drainage pipes is one of the causes of clogging of the water passageways that lead to flooding of streets as cooking oil deposits mixed with water, soil and waste materials solidify and form a compacted blockage that is difficult to dislodge, the Cepmo said. – Jessa Mardy P. Samidan
