Environmental Impact Assessment of the Proposed Commercial Wastewater Treatment Facility in Brgy. La Mesa, Calamba City.

Abstract

This study was undertaken to predict and assess the significant environmental impacts of the proposed Commercial Wastewater Treatment Facility (CWTF) project that will occupy a maximum lot area of 2,000 m2 in Brgy. La Mesa, Calamba City.

The objectives of the study are to determine the biophysical and socio-economic conditions of the project site; to identify potential environmental impacts of the project; to predict and assess the impacts using impact screening method; to recommend appropriate mitigating and/or enhancement measures for the identified impacts; and to identify some benefits of the project.

The study covered only some of the basic requirements prescribed by DAO 96-37 in conducting and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study for waste management projects that include project description, significance of the project, data on project location, primary and secondary impact zones, baseline environmental conditions, impacts of the project, and mitigation/enhancement measures.

Due to limited time and resources, the study was smaller in scope than the actual undertakings in conducting EIA study. The limitations of the study included the use of secondary data to describe the biophysical conditions in the project site; the use of fifteen (15) respondents only for the socio-economic survey; and the use of qualitative description in impact identification since most of the impacts cannot be quantified.

The study made use of the different tools in conducting an EIA that were deemed appropriate. The tools included a checklist to describe environmental settings, frequency distribution for statistical analysis, matrices, and professional judgment. This study also adopted the impact screening method used by the Asian Development Bank prior to economic evaluation of environmental impacts of any projects or undertakings.

The positive impacts that had been identified to increase the benefits include increase of employment and business opportunities throughout the phases of the project, increase in road networks during construction phase, and increases in dissolved oxygen during operation phase. The significant negative impacts that will occur permanently include removal of topsoils, removal of existing vegetation, generation of solid wastes, generation of obnoxious odor, emission of inorganic and organic fumes, health hazards, increase in electrical consumption, and abandonment of immobilized structures.

The economic evaluation was not conducted because the identified impacts were not significant and amenable to quantitative assessment and valuation based on the impact screening method.

Two (2) major benefits of the project had been discussed such as the reduction in the volume of hazardous liquid wastes stored by waste generators and source of water supply for irrigation. The following are recommended to be integrated in the design of the proposed project: a. An Environmental Management Plan should be incorporated in the proposal that will include emergency response procedures for spills during treatment and transportation of hazardous wastes. b. Monitoring of water quality in terms of the parameters based on Class A classification and National Standard for Drinking Water should be undertaken. c. Multi-partite monitoring team, which is composed of multi-sectoral groups including the DENR, LGUs, NGOs, community, and the proponent, should be organized for the environmental compliance monitoring and evaluation. d. Public hearings should be conducted to ensure that the project is socially acceptable to the community.