Manila Water unit fined

MANILA Water Co., Inc. told the local bourse on Wednesday that its subsidiary Clark Water Corp. (CWC) paid a P1.06 million fine for violation of the Republic Act No. 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 and its implementing rules and regulations on effluent standards.

The east zone concessionaire said the Pollution Adjudication Board-Department of Environment and Natural Resources (PAB-DENR) found 106 days of violation of effluent standards from July 7, 2020 to Feb. 23, 2022.

PAB-DENR imposed the minimum penalty of P10,000 per day.

The Philippine Water Act aims to protect the country’s water bodies from pollution from land-based sources.

“CWC has implemented necessary measures and has been compliant with the General Effluent Standards on the Oil and Grease Parameters since 2022,” Manila Water said.

At the local bourse on Wednesday, shares of Manila Water went down by P0.24 or 1.3% or P18.16 apiece.

The water concessionaire serves Metro Manila’s east zone network, which comprises Marikina, Pasig, Makati, Taguig, Pateros, Mandaluyong, San Juan, portions of Quezon City and Manila, and several towns of nearby Rizal province. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera