ANALYSIS OF WASTEWATER PRODUCED IN A PUBLIC MARKET

LOCATED AT IBAAN, BATANGAS

A Case Study

Presented to Engr. Arnel M. Molina

College of Engineering, Architecture and Fine Arts

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

Alangilan Campus

Alangilan, Batangas City

In Partial Fulfilment

of the Requirements for ENGG-413

of Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering

by

ESGUERRA, DANIELE JENNA E.

GERONIMO, GERRYMIE C.

MORTEL, CHRISTINE NICOLE A.

2021
I. INTRODUCTION

Water is essential for the survival of all species on Earth. It is a requirement for all living
things on the planet. The fast industrialization and economic development led to an extraordinary
increase in the population and urbanization. As the globe is seeing an increase in urbanization and
as a result of a consumerist mindset, the environment's water sources are being contaminated and
polluted. Thus, there is a range of causes that contribute to water pollution, including industrial
waste, mining activities, wastewater, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, oil usage, hazardous waste,
urban growth, and so on.

Consequently, water might be polluted simply by being utilized in various activities, both
domestic and agricultural, most specifically in commerce and markets. In marketplaces,
especially in public wet and dry markets, fresh produce, fish, and meat are sold. For rural
populations, the public market is an essential source of food and goods. It certainly provides a
broad selection of fresh and healthy foods at reasonable rates. Local farmers provide the majority
of the food. The freshness of the goods is linked with high-quality, safe-to-eat food. Furthermore,
compared to supermarkets, public markets provide a greater variety of fruits, grains, and
vegetables for the goods are obtained locally. In contrast, supermarkets buy huge amounts of a
small number of items and commodities from big wholesale marketplaces and store them in cold
storage for extended periods. Thus, the requirement for proper hygiene, cleanliness, and safety
standards are hardly applied in public markets where water is the most frequently used agent in
washing and keeping the goods fresh and clean.

In a public market located at the municipality of Ibaan in the province of Batangas, the
dry and wet markets are in one place. There are also stalls, carinderias, and commercial buildings
consisting of shops, pharmacies, and clinics in the corners of the market and the public toilet in
the right-center of the market. Water is used and needed in the Ibaan public market, thus
inevitably producing agricultural and domestic wastewaters. Wastewater is water that is used and
contaminated with substances. In public markets, wastewaters are simply dumped into the drain,
which goes to pits, creeks, or any bodies of water without treating it. Thus, further results in water
and ground pollution.

As a result, continuous efforts are being undertaken to protect water resources in areas
where wastewaters are frequently discharged. Thus, the characterization, preservation, and
analysis of wastewater through collecting representative samples is usually done by following the
procedures recommended by various standard methods for examining water and wastewater. In
this sense, there are several wastewater treatment processes available. The treatment of the
wastewater generated by the public market requires various methods, such as physical, chemical,
and biological processes. Also, various techniques available for the disposal of wastewater differ
from applied approaches to emerging methods. Thus, according to Leonhauser et al. (2014),
selecting the appropriate technical and economically feasible approach for wastewater treatment
is often a challenge.
 II. OBJECTIVES

To address the aforementioned challenges, the researchers proposed the main objectives
of this study which aims to analyze the wastewater produced in a public market located in Ibaan,
Batangas.

● To identify the properties of the wastewater and other contaminants found on it.

● To specify the causes and effects of wastewater produced in the public market.

● To determine the environmental impacts of the pollutants and contaminants found in the
wastewater.

● To analyze various wastewater treatments used in other establishments treating the same
properties of wastewater produced in the public market.

● To ascertain the effects of wastewater treatments in the wastewater produced in the public
market.

● To evaluate the wastewater and various wastewater treatments in order to devise an

effective and efficient wastewater treatment process for the public market.

● To suggest and recommend wastewater treatments with tested variables and justifications
through conducted analysis.

III. CAUSES & EFFECTS

Public markets are regarded to be one of the primary sources of domestic wastewater. In
the public market in Ibaan, Batangas, the people directly dispose of their wastewater into the
drainage without pre-treating it. Also, all of the produced wastewater is accumulated in only one
place and goes to the creeks, pits, and other bodies of water. This can happen in two ways: either
by groundwater or well water tapping into the underground water source. This wastewater
produced from the public market usually comes from meat, poultry, fish preparation, public
restrooms, food stalls, fruits and vegetables, and sales. Thus, organic material, suspended solids,
fats, oils, and grease are commonly found in high concentrations in the resulting wastewater
mixture. As the public market in Ibaan, Batangas engages in the improper disposal of untreated
wastewater; this will have a considerable impact on the surrounding environment.

According to Conserve Energy Future (2020), disposing of untreated wastewater has the
most immediate impact on the environment by causing harm to natural habitats and wildlife
through exposure to toxic chemicals. The disposal of untreated wastewater is usually warm or hot
that may disrupt the ecosystem. Also, the waterways are considered to be the most vulnerable to
the detrimental consequences of wastewater. As a massive proportion of biodegradable
substances is introduced into the water, the organisms begin to break them down, resulting in a
significant loss of dissolved oxygen. This dissolved oxygen is needed for the survival of marine
life; when it is depleted, it can be life-threatening for the animals that rely on it for survival.
 Wastewater is known to be one of the most threatening sources and carriers of disease.
Purdue University (n.d) stated that humans acquire various conditions through exposure to
wastewater in various ways. Wastewater pathogens can be transmitted directly from wastewater
or by consuming food or water that has been contaminated with wastewater. Pathogens can be
described as anything that can cause illness. This includes bacteria, viruses, and parasites (such as
worms and protozoans), all of which are pathogenic for humans. Prolonged contact with sewage
or sewage sludge may lead to the development of skin, eye, and respiratory infections, as well as
other conditions. Although researchers think there could be several new pathogen species present
in the wastewater that has not yet been discovered.

In a report released by the World Health Organization (WHO), around 3.4 million people
die each year due to a water-borne disease (Conserve Energy Future, 2020). According to Purdue
University (n.d), diseases caused by wastewater can be the following:

● Typhoid

Patients often report having fever, constipation, loss of appetite, nausea,

diarrhea, and a rash when they have typhoid symptoms. In developed countries,
the number of cases of this infectious disease has dropped dramatically due to
advances in water and wastewater treatment. Still, it persists in many locations
around the world (Purdue University, n.d).

● Cholera

When the intestine is infected with the toxigenic bacteria Vibrio cholerae
serogroups O1 or O139, it results in an acute diarrheal illness known as cholera.
Approximately 2.9 million cases and 95,000 deaths are reported each year
throughout the world due to this illness. The infection is frequently mild or even
asymptomatic, but it can be severe. Cholera can cause severe symptoms such as
watery diarrhea, vomiting, and leg cramps in approximately one in every ten
people who contract the disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
2021).

● Diseases Caused By Viruses

Viruses are parasitic microorganisms that exist on the microscopic level;

They are significantly smaller than bacteria. Some are capable of infecting
humans via wastewater. Viruses cannot reproduce in the absence of their hosts,
and wastewater is an unfriendly environment for them. However, enough viruses
can survive in water to cause illness. Hepatitis A, polio, and viral gastroenteritis
are just a few of the diseases spread by viruses in wastewater (Purdue University,
n.d).
 ● Parasites in Wastewater

Protozoans and helminths are two types of parasites that have been
discovered in wastewater (parasitic worms). It is possible for protozoans to
multiply inside the body after drinking contaminated water, resulting in mild to
severe diarrhea in some cases. Amebiosis, also known as amebic dysentery, is
caused by a protozoan called Entamoeba histolytica, which is a parasite.

Infected people cause the spread of protozoans and excrete the

microscopic organisms in their feces. Cysts form when protozoans are exposed to
water and wastewater and go into a state of dormancy (inactivity). Then they
become resistant to water treatment and disinfection. To minimize water
pollution, it is best to halt the discharge of untreated wastewater into bodies of
water (Purdue University, n.d).

IV. AFFECTED LAWS

Quality standards are criteria, parameters, guidelines, or specifications that are used
consistently to ensure that materials, equipment, processes, and facilities are appropriate for their
intended use. Thus, there are certain standards applied to protect the environment., especially the
water sources, and even the wastewater that’s being dumped into it and the wastewater treatment
itself.
In relevance to this, the Philippines implemented the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004
(Republic Act No. 9275) for the protection of the country’s bodies of water from pollution
generated from land-based industries and commercial establishments, such as in agriculture and
community or household activities. The Republic Act No. 9275 establishes a multi-sectoral and
participatory approach to pollution prevention and reduction which involves all the stakeholders.
Water quality management may be dependent on the watershed, river basin, or water
resources area. The DENR, in collaboration with the National Water Resources Board (NWRB),
must identify water quality control areas with similar hydrological, hydrogeological,
meteorological, or geographic factors that influence the reaction and diffusion of contaminants in
water bodies (Philippine Clean Water Act, 2004). The act prohibits the discharging, injecting, or
allowing something to enter into the ground that will pollute groundwater. Operating facilities
that discharge controlled water pollutants without valid required permits, and disposal of
potentially infectious medical waste are all prohibited and subjected into sanctions (Philippine
Clean Water Act, 2004).
The Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standards of 2016 provides rules for
the classification of water bodies in the country, as well as for determining temporal trends and
evaluating phases of deterioration/improvement in water quality; review of the need for action to
avoid, regulate, or reduce water contamination, sets GES (General Effluent Standards) and
designates the Water Quality Management Area (WQMA).
According to the DENR Administrative Order No. 2016 – 08, effluent standards are
concentration and/or volume restrictions that any wastewater outflow from a point source, such as
 industrial facilities and municipal sewage systems, must fulfill. These include a collection of
water quality parameters and their numerical limitations.
Wastewater treatment is used to treat and control sewage waters before they are released
into bodies of water. It avoids water contamination by reducing the amount of effluents in
wastewater using established criteria. According to DENR Administrative Order No. 35 Series of
1990, effluent standards are concentration and volume limitations that must be met by any
wastewater discharge from a point source, such as industrial plants and municipal sewerage
systems. There are a collection of water quality parameters and the numerical limits that go with
them. Each set of effluent standards is recommended for each of the water classes and effluent
requirements are usually ten times higher than the Water Quality Criteria.
Thus, there are also standard amounts of wastewater that can be discharged into bodies of
water. The maximum quantity to be discharged as promulgated in the guidelines for the protection
of public health and the country's aquatic resources states that in cases where the volume,
strength, and nature of one or more pollutants, enumerated in, or not otherwise covered in the
preceding Sections, are expected to cause a serious deterioration of a receiving body of water or
cause harm or injury to aquatic life and resources.

V. MITIGATING REMEDIATION AND MEASURES

As important as drinking water treatment, garbage collection, and immunization

programs protect community health, ensuring proper wastewater treatment and disposal is equally
as important. Local authorities must be certain that untreated wastes are not dumped in locations
where they are easily accessible and attract insects or animals carrying diseases.

The wastewater treatment process incorporates a number of processes that are applied in
sequence, with the objective of killing, neutralizing, or inactivating a large proportion of the
pollutants and disease-causing organisms. Therefore, the building of wastewater treatment
facilities in the public market of Ibaan, Batangas is required to ensure the safety of the
community. A seminar will also be conducted to the people in Ibaan, Batangas regarding the
proper disposal of their hazardous household waste.

Treating the wastewater from the public market will be done in three phases:

1. Primary (Solid Removal)

Water will be briefly placed in a settling tank during primary treatment, where
heavier solids fall to the bottom and lighter solids float to the top. These materials are
held back once they have settled, while the remaining liquid is discharged or moved to
the more stringent secondary phase of wastewater treatment. Mechanical scrapers drive
accumulated sludge from the tank's bottom to a hopper, where it is pumped to sludge
treatment facilities.

2. Secondary (Bacterial Decomposition)

Secondary wastewater treatment will be designed to significantly degrade the

biological content of the waste by aerobic biological processes, and it will operate at a
deeper level than primary treatment. It can be accomplished in one of three ways:
 a. Biofiltration

Sand filters, touch filters, and trickling filters are used in biofiltration to
ensure that any excess sediment is extracted from the wastewater.

b. Aeration

Aeration is a lengthy procedure that introduces air to wastewater to

increase oxygen saturation. The aeration process can take up to 30 hours to
complete, but it is very efficient.

c. Oxidation Ponds

This system, which is most commonly used in warmer climates, uses

natural bodies of water such as lagoons to allow wastewater to move through for
a fixed period of time before being held for two to three weeks. Secondary
wastewater treatment reduces common biodegradable pollutants to acceptable
levels, allowing for cleaner release into the local setting.

3. Tertiary (Extra Filtration)

The aim of tertiary wastewater treatment is to improve the water's quality to meet
domestic and industrial standards, as well as to meet unique criteria for water discharge
safety.

VI. SUSTAINABILITY

Waste clearance can significantly reduce costs by recycling as much domestic waste as
possible. Getting proper waste disposal systems ensures that the waste management and waste
treatment methods are as environmentally sustainable and profitable as possible. To maintain the
wastewater treatment plant proposed, a technical team should be in charge of the operation and
maintenance of the wastewater treatment plant. Regular inspection of the chambers of the settling
tank and filters, as well as cleaning of the planted gravel filter from rubbish/plastic and cleaning
of the indicator pond, are all required to keep the wastewater treatment facility running smoothly.
Daily observations will establish the frequency. While settling tank desludging (sludge removal)
must be done every two years. Prior to desludging, the sludge thickness should be determined.

The public market in Ibaan, Batangas, must always comply with the laws and regulations
to sustain a better public market. The local government and the people in the community must
follow the standards on the disposal and treatment of the wastewater to avoid having problems.
Furthermore, regular monitoring of local water quality is a must.

VII. RESULT

The following are expected results after conducting the proposed project:

1. The citizens should understand and have knowledge about the importance of water treatment
for their own safety and the environment.
 2. The wastewater from the public market in Ibaan, Batangas is properly treated and disposed of
following the standards.

VIII. RECOMMENDATION

Based on the proposed solution, the following recommendations are hereby suggested for its
improvement:

1. Conducting seminars on a regular basis as well as surveying for potential problems to prolong
the sustainability of the proposed project.

2. Due to the scope of existing laws regarding water pollution, there should be strict ordinances
which cover a smaller area but should be familiar with the people.

IX. SUMMARY

Water is essential for the survival of all species on Earth. Water pollution caused by
industrial waste, mining activities, wastewater, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, oil usage,
hazardous waste and more can cause harm not only to humans but also to the environment.

Public markets are an essential source of food and goods. Water is used as an agent in
washing and keeping the goods fresh and clean. This practice is also seen in a public market
located at the municipality of Ibaan in the city of Batangas. Water is used in this area inevitably
producing agricultural and domestic wastewaters.

Wastewater produced from the public market contains high concentrations of organic
material, suspended solids, fats, oils and grease improperly disposed of which has a considerable
impact on the environment and safety of the residents.

According to research, the direct disposal of wastewater to bodies of water can cause
destruction of habitats and wildlife. It can be life-threatening to animals and other marine life. As
for humans, water-borne disease caused by wastewater such as Typhoid, Cholera, diseases caused
by viruses, and parasites in wastewater kills around 3.4 million each year.

There are laws regarding water pollution, Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 or
Republic Act No. 9275, an order which focuses on wastewater treatment, DENR Administrative
Order No. 35 Series of 1990.

The treatment of wastewater in Ibaan, Batangas incorporates a number of processes.

Mainly solid removal, bacterial composition; which can be accomplished by biofiltration,
aeration, or oxidation ponds, and extra filtration.

The effort of both local authorities together with the residents should be present. The
water waste treatment plant is operated and maintained by a technical team. Regular inspections
and desulging must also be done.
 The public market in Ibaan, Batangas, should comply with the laws and regulations and
follow standards on the treatment and disposal of wastewater.

X. CONCLUSION

The following conclusions were drawn from the study:

1. The residents in Ibaan, Batangas have proper knowledge and understanding about the
importance of wastewater treatment regarding their safety and the environment.

2. The treatment and disposal of wastewater from the public market in Ibaan, Batangas follows
the standards through the use of a wastewater treatment plant.

3. The wastewater treatment plant is operated, maintained and is subjected to regular inspections
and other necessary measures to prolong its sustainability.

XI. SOURCES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, June 30). Cholera. Retrieved July 17, 2021,
from https://www.cdc.gov/cholera/general/index.html

Purdue University. (n.d.). Wastewater and public health. Retrieved July 17, 2021, from
https://engineering.purdue.edu/~frankenb/NU-prowd/disease.htm

Rath, T. (2020, June 5). Why do wet markets matter? Retrieved July 16, 2021, from
https://www.ifad.org/en/web/latest/-/blog/why-do-wet-markets-matter-

The Effects of Wastewater and How Bad It Is For the Environment. Conserve Energy Future.
(2020, December 8).
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/effects-wastewater-environment.php#1_Water_and_Hab
itat_Contamination.