DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, June 3 (PIA) -- Dumaguete City government and Metro Dumaguete Water (MDW) has announced the opening of an outlet for the collection of environmental septage fees inside the latter’s main office in Brgy. Daro.

The outlet aims to improve collection efficiency while making it more convenient for consumers to pay the said fee. 

City Economic Enterprise Officer Engr. Jose Ronnie Fortin said this newly-opened collection outlet is in addition to the existing outlets at the Passenger Transport Terminal, City Slaughterhouse, and at Building 2 Public Market Complex.

Meanwhile, request or job orders for desludging of septic tanks will still be processed at Fortin's office.

He reminded consumers that they need to bring the billing statements when they pay the septage fees.

Consumers who regularly pay the monthly environmental septage fees at P1.50 per cubic meter consumption can avail of the desludging services for their septic tanks for free every three years.

The new septage collection outlet was recently inspected by members of City Septage Management Authority with MDW Chief Operations Officer Angelo David Berba, who approved the request of the city government for a space inside the compound for the convenience of the public.

After the city took over the operations of the Septage Wastewater Treatment Facility, all the estimated 162,000 water consumers enjoyed a 25% reduction of the user fee now at P1.50 per cubic meter per month, instead of the previous rate of P2 per cubic meter.

Nearly 1,000 stall holders in the Dumaguete City Public Market and tenants of private malls with their own communal wastewater treatment facility maintained by the city or by the management of commercial establishments are exempted from paying septage fees. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental)