WHAT IS CLEAN WATER ACT?                                                                

The Clean Water Act of 2004 (Republic Act No. 9275) aims to protect the country’s water bodies from pollution from land-based sources (industries and commercial establishments, agriculture and community/household activities).

How will discharges of waste water be controlled?

All owners or operators of facilities that discharge wastewater are required to get a permit to discharge from the DENR or the Laguna Lake Development Authority.

How will discharges of waste water be discouraged?

Anyone discharging waste water into a water body will have to pay a waste water charge.

 FINES AND PENALTIES                                                                              

What are the prohibited acts under The Clean Water Act?

Among others, the Act prohibits the following:

1. Discharging or depositing any water pollutant to the water body.
2. Discharging, injecting or allowing to enter into the soil, anything that would pollute groundwater.
3. Operating facilities that discharge regulated water pollutants without the valid required permits.
4. Unauthorized transport or dumping into waters of sewage sludge or solid waste.
5. Refusal to allow entry, inspection and monitoring as well as access to reports and records by the DENR.
6. Refusal or failure to submit reports and/or designate pollution control officers whenever required by the DENR.
7. Disposal of potentially infectious medical waste into sea by vessels.
8. Operate facilities that discharge or allow to seep, willfully or through grave negligence, prohibited chemicals, substances, or pollutants into water bodies

What are the fines and penalties imposed on polluters?

 • 1st Offense: Upon the recommendation of the Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB), anyone who commits prohibited acts such as discharging untreated wastewater into any water body will be fined for every day of violation, the amount of not less than Php 10,000 but not more than Php 200,000.

• 2nd Offense: Failure to undertake clean-up operations willfully shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than two years and not more than four years. This also includes a fine of not less than Php 50,000 and not more than Php 100,000 per day of violation.

• 3rd Offense: Failure or refusal to clean up which results in serious injury or loss of life or lead to irreversible water contamination of surface, ground, coastal and marine water shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than 6 years and 1 day and not more than 12 years and a fine of Php 500,000/day for each day the contamination or omission continues.