Wastewater treatment plant inaugurated in “BANELINO Agri-Food Park”

Esperanza-Mao, D.R.- The Yaque del Norte Water Fund (FAYN, in Spanish), together with BANELINO, Plan Yaque, Fundación Popular, the Santiago Free Zone Corporation (CZFS) and the Ministry of the Environment opened a wastewater treatment plant in the Esperanza-Mao area, which will contribute to the environmental sanitation of the INDRHI irrigation canal in Esperanza and the Yaque del Norte River.

The ceremony was headed by Benito A. Ferreiras, president of FAYN, who emphasized that with this project, a total of 22 wastewater treatment plants have been installed under the sponsorship of the Yaque del Norte Water Fund and its partners. He also assured that, according to the results obtained in tests carried out by CORAASAN’s wastewater laboratory, these treatment plants have an effectiveness of more than 95% in the reduction of pollution, data that can be seen at www.fondoaguayaque.org.

Humberto Checo, executive director of Plan Yaque, the institution responsible for the execution of the project, indicated that the “wetland” is designed to serve a total population of up to 600 people, thanks to its capacity to process an average volume of 48 cubic meters per day of wastewater, and consists of four interconnected septic chambers and a 213 square meter wetland. The project was carried out at a cost of DOP$1.6 million provided by the Yaque del Norte Water Fund, Fundación Popular, the Santiago Free Zone Corporation, BANELINO, the Ministry of the Environment and Plan Yaque.

Ana Amelia Rivera, Environmental and Climate Change Division Manager of the Popular Foundation, underlined the interest of the Popular Group in contributing to the strengthening of the country’s artificial wetlands network, as an efficient and reasonable response that contributes to counteracting the most adverse climate phenomena, recalling in this case that the Yaque del Norte watershed “is the guarantee of our sustainability as an island in the Caribbean”.

Finally, Marike de Peña, BANELINO’s Executive Director, noted that the project will add value to bananas and other agricultural products, and that this wetland will provide multiple benefits by improving the landscape, avoiding bad odors, reducing the risk of food contamination and protecting the surrounding waters.

In addition, the way in which the wastewater treatment plant operates is by reproducing the method by which nature purifies water, so its operating and maintenance costs are considerably low. This system also returns the water to purity levels established by national and international standards, thus contributing not only to local environmental and water sanitation, but also to advancing towards the sanitation of the Yaque del Norte river basin, which is the reason that unites all the collaborating institutions in this purpose.