Lack of clean water supply became one of the problems the residents are encountering after Supertyphoon Yolanda (international code name Haiyan) wreaked havoc on their fishing village and, of course, the entire central part of the country in November 2013. While the damaged water sources were restored and scores of new ones were built, the residents still get water from deep-well pumps for their household needs, including laundry.
However, the water is, oftentimes, dirty and contains oil, thus, making them not safe for consumption nor ideal for washing clothes, she noted.
“So we thought of piloting [the laundry facility] in Mayorga for it is among our partners in our Perfect Community project, in partnership with Operation Compassion,” Unilever’s Sustainable Business and Communications Assistant Manager Lavin Gonzaga told the BusinessMirror at the sidelines of the turnover ceremonies on Thursday.
As part of Unilever’s Sustainable Living Program (USLP), Surf Philippines donated a pro-environment laundry facility in Barangay Union Coastal here that helps conserve water for the use of around 30 households in the community and others in surrounding areas. With 17,000 residents, Mayorga is a fifth class municipality composed of 16 barangays, with 4,300 families. Appreciative of Unilever’s assistance to the storm-stricken town, Mayor Alex de Paz expressed elation with the multinational’s pioneering effort to help his constituents with one of their basic necessities that is water.
“Since we are preparing for El Niño, this project of Surf will definitely teach our community to conserve water,” he said.
“I’m looking forward more Surf and Operation Compassion partnership programs to be expanded to other barangays, as well.” Dubbed “Surf Labahan Station,” the laundry facility is equipped with a Filipino-made filtration technology that recycles water for reuse in watering ornamental plants and washing clothes.
How does it work?
The residents could get water from the three faucets installed for washing dirty linens. After which, the used water will be collected in the drainage. Then, the water pump will bring the collected water to the filter that is a two-stage process.
First, the dirty water will pass through the mineral stones, plastic liner and fine gravel, rocks and sand to separate big particles, such as soil and grease. For further cleaning, the water will be filtered in the activated charcoal and porous sponge to cleanse out the chemical contents of the detergent before they will be stored in the built-in tank.
The filtered water is ready for use a day after. Capacity-wise, the filtration system can clean and recycle up to 6,000 liters of laundry water every day, equivalent to 700 wash-load savings.
Kyle Sze, associate project of Awesome Lab, the technology provider, explained that right at the initial stage of filtration, good bacteria would grow and stay to consume bad bacteria and other microorganisms. So, by the time that the water goes to the second stage, the chemical content is already not that too harmful, which, he said, can be cleansed through simple filtration.
The ecological feature of the facility doesn’t end there, Surf Assistant Brand Manager Cha Francisco noted. The water pump is solar-powered and the roofing is designed as a rain catcher to add to the water supply for treatment.
What’s more, the facility’s flooring is composed of pavers made out of recycled Surf sachets, and the area can accommodate up to 20 people with its ample space of around 200 square meters, she added.
Since Surf Labahan station became operational in November last year, the executive said training on sustainable water management continues, benefiting both the community and the environment.
Volunteers from Operation Compassion, who stay in the community, help not only in the sustainability and maintenance of the laundry facility. They assist also in rehabilitating the community and teaching residents how to plant vegetables and fruits as a form of livelihood and a way to maximize the water-recycling system.
“We plan to expand [the Surf Labahan station] not only in Tacloban, but basically in the whole Philippines,” Francisco said. “As soon as we see that people are actually learning how to conserve water and they’re using it, we will roll out that same model in Luzon or Mindanao as well.”
