THE Davao City Water District (DCWD) announced that its septage treatment facility in Barangay Indangan is now 93 percent complete and is expected to begin operations by August or September 2025.
DCWD spokesperson JC Duhaylungsod said the sanitation service will first cater to government offices and city parks that need septic tank dislodging. Coordination with barangays will be required to schedule services and secure truck entry permits.
“We will already be rolling out our sanitation service in line with Septage Management Program sa siyudad [in the city], we are targeting around August to September 2025,” Duhaylungsod said during a business forum on Friday, June 20, at NCCC Victoria Plaza.
DCWD has already acquired five spill-proof dislodging trucks equipped with advanced technology to transport waste from various areas to the facility efficiently.
After serving government facilities, DCWD will extend its services to neighboring barangays, including Indangan, Panacan, Communal, Buhangin, and Lasang, before gradually expanding to Districts 1 and 3.
Duhaylungsod emphasized that the service is affordable compared to market rates, which range from ₱6,000 to ₱7,000. DCWD offers a full package that includes scheduling, transport, treatment, and proper disposal — without requiring upfront payment.
For existing DCWD customers, the service is already included in their water service connection. No additional documents are needed. Non-customers may also apply by submitting a letter of intent. Once assessed and inspected, they will be scheduled for dislodging. However, Duhaylungsod noted that non-customers with urgent needs may still seek private service providers due to the current waiting list.
What sets DCWD’s service apart, she said, is that customers will pay through their monthly water bill. The rate is ₱3.43 per cubic meter. For example, a household consuming 10 cubic meters will be charged an additional ₱34.30 for sanitation services.
Waste collected at the facility will undergo treatment to produce two by-products: Class B water, which is safe for cleaning and recreational use, and biosolids, which can serve as a soil conditioner.
Duhaylungsod said Class B water can be used for watering plants, cleaning markets, or washing roads. With this, barangays no longer need to tap into potable water from fire hydrants. The treated water will be free, provided barangays bring their water trucks.
The treated water will also be stored in a 100-cubic-meter holding tank and released gradually—20 cubic meters at a time—to prevent flooding.
As for the biosolid, a partner service provider will collect and dispose of it safely. Duhaylungsod assured the public that the biosolids will meet standards for reuse.
The facility is part of the Septage Management Program, a partnership between DCWD and the Davao City Government. The Indangan facility sits on a 3,300-square-meter property and is the first of five planned government-owned septage treatment facilities in the city.
Davao City Ordinance No. 0363-10, series of 2019, or the Sewerage and Seepage Management Ordinance, mandates regular septic tank dislodging as a requirement, not an option. RGP