MANILA, Philippines – Boracay Island Water Company Inc completed the sewerage diversion system connecting Balabag sewage treatment plant to Manoc-Manoc, allowing more establishments and households to connect to the company’s sewer network.

In a statement released on Thursday, May 10, Boracay Water said some of the used water in the Balabag facility will be transmitted to Manoc-Manoc for treatment to “maximize the combined capacity of both treatment plants.”

“The flow diversion project maximizes the combined capacity of both treatment plants and will enable the company’s sewerage system to accommodate even non-Boracay Water customers who are yet to connect to a reliable and proper used water network,” Boracay Water said.

The diversion project started in March 2018.

Barangay Balabag is home to the busy beach fronts of White Beach Stations 1 and 2 in Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan, as well as Bulabog Beach where sports activities are being held.

According to Boracay Water, Balabag receives an average of 5.7 million liters of wastewater per day (MLD) during regular operations. The figure is 88% of its 6.5 MLD maximum capacity.

The completed diversion system will allow some of the wastewater to be treated by the Manoc-Manoc sewerage treatment plant, which treats about 1 to 2 MLD – or about 20% to 40% of its capacity of 5 MLD.

In total, both facilities treat an average of 8.7 MLD or 76% of its combined 11.5 MLD capacity. Boracay Water said the treatment plants discharge Class SB water or treated domestic used water suitable for recreational activities such as swimming or skindiving.

“Boracay Water is also accelerating its sewer system projects in accordance with the used water masterplan approved by Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) including the construction of the island’s third sewage treatment plant in Barangay Yapak with a capacity of 5 MLD,” the statement said.

Boracay Water will also expand its 22-kilometer sewer network and will provide desludging services to unsewered areas to ensure wastes collected from septic tanks will undergo proper treatment.

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the closure of Boracay Island for 6-months, calling it a “cesspool” because of its environmental problems.

Establishments and households not connected to sewerage treatment plants triggered the increase of water pollution to extreme levels, especially during summer months because of the large number of people that flock to the world-famous island resort. (WATCH: How green can Boracay get?)

Improving the sewerage system of Boracay is among the government’s rehabilitation priorities. (READ: CHEAT SHEET: What to expect from Boracay closure)– Rappler.com