The Maynilad Water Academy—the education arm of Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad)—recently conducted a learning session on septage management for some government officials from India and Nepal sponsored by the “Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation” (BMGF).
The 23 participants learned about Maynilad’s sanitation program best practices so they can develop septage management programs for their own countries. Septage is waste material collected from septic tanks. Improper handling of septage could contaminate water sources and spread disease.
“A lot of poor communities in Asia still suffer from health conditions brought on by exposure to untreated septage. We are happy that the BMGF allocated funds toward building capacity in septage management, and Maynilad is certainly eager to share its know-how so that more people may benefit from a cleaner environment,” said Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez.
As part of the learning session, the delegates were given a tour of Maynilad’s Project 7 Sewage and Septage Treatment Plant, as well as of the septage treatment facilities of the Baliuag and Dumaguete City water districts.
The BMGF is a private foundation established by Bill and Melinda Gates, with the global aim of enhancing healthcare and reducing extreme poverty.
The Maynilad Water Academy is a learning institution that serves as enabler for the sharing of best practices in water, sanitation and hygiene in the Philippines and across the world.
Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base. It is the agent and contractor of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, which is composed of the cities of Manila (certain portions), Quezon City (certain portions), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon all in Metro Manila; the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, all in Cavite Province.
