"Assessment and Design of a Clustered
Wastewater Treatment System for Point
Source Pollution Control in Catbalogan
City"
Presented by:
Eddie Boy C. Sablan
Ivan Rex Quimaño
Aubrey Salentes
Mark John Bardaje
Patrick Aljay Garcia Gabrino
A Sustainable Solution to Address Water
Contamination in Catbalogan City
Introduction
• Water contamination in Catbalogan City is caused by
untreated wastewater from residential and institutional
sources.
• This leads to environmental degradation, health risks,
and polluted waterways.
• The project aims to design a clustered wastewater
treatment system tailored to the city’s needs.
Problem Statement
• Lack of centralized wastewater treatment in Catbalogan.
• Untreated wastewater flows into canals, creeks, and
marine areas.
• High incidence of waterborne diseases and environmental
issues.
• Need for a sustainable, scalable solution.
Objective
• Identify and assess point sources of wastewater
contamination.
•Evaluate sustainable wastewater treatment
technologies.
•Design a modular clustered wastewater treatment
system.
•Propose a feasible implementation plan for
Catbalogan.
Literature Review
Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems:
• Studies by Massoud et al. (2009) and Tilley et
al.(2014) highlight the effectiveness of decentralized
systems in addressing wastewater issues in
developing regions.
• Such systems are scalable and suitable for cities
like Catbalogan, with diverse and dispersed sources
of contamination.
Literature Review
Sustainable Treatment Technologies:
• Constructed wetlands (Vymazal, 2018) and
anaerobic reactors (Liu et al., 2019) are costeffective, low-maintenance, and environmentally
friendly options for wastewater treatment.
• These technologies are particularly effective in
areas with limited resources and infrastructure.
Literature Review
Environmental and Health Impacts:
• WHO (2021) and UNEP (2010) stress the need for
improved wastewater management to prevent
ecosystem degradation and reduce waterborne
diseases.
• Proper treatment significantly mitigates the risks
posed by untreated wastewater in urban waterways.
Literature Review
Community Engagement and Management:
• Morales et al. (2016) and Parry & Aijaz (2018)
emphasize the importance of community-driven
approaches in wastewater management projects.
• Engaging stakeholders ensures system adoption
and long-term sustainability.
Literature Review
Policy and Governance:
• The Philippine Clean Water Act (DENR, 2020)
provides a regulatory framework that supports the
project’s objectives.
• Policies from similar countries like India and
Vietnam demonstrate how governance influences
the success of decentralized systems.
Methodology
• Site visits and water quality testing (BOD, COD,
TSS, coliforms, etc.).
• Stakeholder surveys and interviews to understand
practices and needs.
• GIS mapping of pollution sources.
• Feasibility analysis of treatment technologies.
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
• Design and testing of a pilot system.
Proposed System Design
Modular system integrating:
• Anaerobic reactors (primary treatment).
• Constructed wetlands (secondary treatment).
• Polishing ponds (tertiary treatment).
Expected Outcome
• Improved water quality in Catbalogan’s
waterways.
• Reduction in waterborne diseases.
• Sustainable wastewater management model for
other small cities.
• Potential use of treated water for irrigation or other
purposes.
Challenges and Mitigation
Challenges:​
• Limited funding for implementation.​
• Community resistance or lack of awareness.​
• Maintenance of treatment facilities.​
Mitigation:​
• Cost-benefit analysis to secure funding.​
• Community workshops and training programs.​
• Clear maintenance guidelines and local government
support.
References
General Wastewater Management:
o Metcalf & Eddy- Wastewater Engineering: Treatment and Resource Recovery. (A standard textbook often used in wastewater engineering).
o Singh, G., et al. (2019)- Design and development of wastewater treatment systems: Acase study in India. Journal of Environmental
Management.
o Spellman, F. R. (2016)- Handbook of Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations.
o Sundaravadivel, M., & Vigneswaran, S. (2001)- Decentralized wastewater treatment systems: A critical review. Science of the Total
Environment.
Clustered and Decentralized Wastewater Systems:
o Massoud, M. A., et al. (2009)- Decentralized approaches to wastewater treatment in developing countries. Journal of Environmental
Management.
o Tilley, E., et al. (2014)- Compendium of Sanitation Systems and Technologies.
o Moura, A., & Barros, R. T. (2017)- Feasibility of decentralized wastewater systems in urban settings. Water Science and Technology.
o Muga, H. E., & Mihelcic, J. R. (2008)- Sustainability of wastewater treatment technologies. Journal of Environmental Management.
Sustainable Technologies for Wastewater Treatment:
o Vymazal, J. (2018)- Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment. Ecological Engineering.
o Liu, W., et al. (2019)- Biogas production from anaerobic wastewater treatment plants. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.
o Xu, Z., et al. (2020)- Biofiltration for wastewater treatment: Current practices and future perspectives. Journal of Cleaner Production.
o Kadlec, R. H., & Wallace, S. D. (2008)- Treatment Wetlands.
o Haider, H., & Zhuang, Q. (2021)- Low-cost technologies for wastewater treatment in rural areas. Environmental Technology & Innovation.
References
Community-Based Wastewater Management:
o Parry, J., & Aijaz, R. (2018)- Community-driven wastewater management strategies in Asia. International Journal of Water Resources
Development.
o Rogers, B., et al. (2020)- Integrating community participation in wastewater treatment design. Water Research.
o Morales, V., et al. (2016)- Community-managed decentralized wastewater systems in developing countries. Water Policy.
Environmental Impact and Assessment:
o World Health Organization (WHO) (2021)- Guidelines on Sanitation and Health.
o Choudhary, K., et al. (2019)- Impacts of untreated wastewater on water bodies and human health. Environmental Pollution.
o Meena, M. D., et al. (2018)- Impact of wastewater discharge on river ecosystems. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment.
o Corcoran, E., et al. (2010)- Sick Water? The Central Role of Wastewater Management in Sustainable Development. United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP).
Policy and Governance in Wastewater Management:
o United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (2020)- Wastewater Management: AUN-Water Analytical Brief.
o Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) (2020) Philippine Clean Water Act: Implementation and Challenges.
o Biswas, A., et al. (2020)- Policy frameworks for sustainable wastewater management in Asia. International Journal of Environmental Studies.