Pilot and Demonstration Activity: Philippines
Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Facility for the Lilo-an Public Market
This PDA helped construct a decentralized wastewater treatment facility at the Lilo-an public market and established a cooperative to operate and maintain the facility.
| Project site | Lilo-an, Cebu, Philippines |
|---|---|
| Cost | US$ 50,000 |
| Status | Completed |
| Approval date | July 2004 |
| Completion date | April 2006 |
| Category | Urban Services |
| ADB officer |
Shigehiko Muramoto |
| Partner | Lilo-an Municipal Government |
Lilo-an is a small municipality on the east coast of Cebu Island whose coastal waters registered high coliform cell counts. Lilo-an’s once sublime beaches used to be highly popular destinations of weekend visitors from nearby Cebu City, until the coastal waters turned dangerously dirty. The number of visitors dropped dramatically and the tourism industry faced a serious customer decrease.
Lilo-an public market was considered to be the largest source of coastal water pollution. The public market’s septic tank became insufficient in managing wastewater, which was discharged straight into the sea. This PDA helped build a new wastewater treatment facility for Lilo-an.
- Construction of a pilot wastewater treatment facility in the public market
- Demonstration of effectiveness of low-cost, decentralized wastewater treatment facilities
- Demonstration of successful O&M of wastewater treatment facility by the cooperative
- Enhanced public awareness on water quality and wastewater treatment technologies
- Increased public participation in wastewater treatment
- Increased people's willingness to pay for sanitation
- Revival of local tourism
- Pilot and Demonstration Activity Phase 2: Enhancing Sustainability of the Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Facility at the Lilo-an Public Market
- Water Champion Maria Sevilla on Decentralized Wastewater Management: Big Results from Small Solutions
- Country Water Action: Smart Sanitation Cleans Lilo-an’s Coast (February 2007)
- Photo Essay - Philippines: Rescuing Lilo-an’s Coastline (June 2006)
- Final Report: Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Facility for the Lilo-an Public Market (March 2006) [ PDF ]
- Midterm Report: Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Facility for the Lilo-an Public Market (August 2005) [ PDF ]
- Contract for the Decentralized Water Treatment Facility in Lilo-an Public Market [ PDF ]
- Proposal (May 2004) [ PDF ]
- Constructed a Water Treatment Facility that can treat about 60m³ of wastewater a day
- Installed new toilets at the public market
- Developed the capacity of the Lilo-an Community Multi Purpose Cooperative to operate and maintain the facility
- Reduced the coliform cell counts along the Lilo-an coastline
Read the final report. [ PDF ]
- Know more about PDA principles.
- Read about the Application Process.
- Know the PDA Proposal Guidelines.
- Download the Application Form.

